17-1 Major uses of the comma

While we were eating, a huge delivery truck drove right onto our front lawn.

Correct. A comma is needed after the introductory adverb clause. Notice too that the sentence is easily misread without the comma.

The temperature was 104 degrees, and Eric's car was not equipped with air conditioning.

Correct. A comma is needed before the coordinating conjunction and because the conjunction joins independent clauses (word groups that could stand alone as sentences).

Back up your computer before a thunderstorm to prevent possible severe, irreversible damage to your hard drive.

Correct. A comma is required between the coordinate adjectives severe and irreversible. (Coordinate adjectives can be joined with and: severe and irreversible damage.)

In the old wedding ceremony, brides promised to love, honor, and obey their husbands.

Correct. Except when writing for a publication that follows another convention, use a comma between all items in a series, including the last two.

Among Louisa May Alcott's many writings, the most popular was her novel Little Women. [Alcott wrote more than one novel.]

Correct. The appositive Little Women should not be set off with commas because it is restrictive. Once they've read novel, readers still don't know precisely which one of Alcott's novels is being discussed. The appositive following novel restricts its meaning.

B. B. King and Lucille, his customized black Gibson, have electrified audiences all over the world.

Correct. The appositive his customized black Gibson is nonrestrictive, so it should be set off with a pair of commas. A nonrestrictive word group describes a noun or pronoun whose meaning has already been clearly defined or limited. The commas signal that the information is not essential to the sentence's meaning.

Nursing is physically and mentally demanding, yet the pay is low.

Correct. The coordinating conjunction yet joins independent clauses, so the comma is needed.

In 1845 came the publication of Douglass's first autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.

Correct. The title of Douglass's book is a nonrestrictive appositive, so it should be set off with commas. The title is nonrestrictive because the term first autobiography identifies the book; there is only one first autobiography.

When I saw the look on my father's face, I wanted to turn around and beg the sheriff to let me spend the night in jail.

Correct. The word and does not join independent clauses, so no comma is needed.

City Café is noted for its spicy vegetarian dishes and its friendly, efficient service.

Correct. There should be no comma between spicy and vegetarian because these are cumulative adjectives. (Cumulative adjectives sound odd when joined with and: spicy and vegetarian dishes. The comma between friendly and efficient is correct because these are coordinate adjectives. They can be joined with and: friendly and efficient service.)

While we were eating a huge delivery truck drove right onto our front lawn.

Incorrect. A comma is needed after the introductory adverb clause. Notice too that the sentence is easily misread without the comma.

The temperature was 104 degrees and Eric's car was not equipped with air conditioning.

Incorrect. A comma is needed before the coordinating conjunction and because the conjunction joins independent clauses (word groups that could stand alone as sentences).

Back up your computer before a thunderstorm to prevent possible severe irreversible damage to your hard drive.

Incorrect. A comma is required between the coordinate adjectives severe and irreversible. (Coordinate adjectives can be joined with and: severe and irreversible damage.)

In the old wedding ceremony, brides promised to love, honor and obey their husbands.

Incorrect. Except when writing for a publication that follows another convention, use a comma between all items in a series, including the last two.

Among Louisa May Alcott's many writings, the most popular was her novel, Little Women. [Alcott wrote more than one novel.]

Incorrect. The appositive Little Women should not be set off with commas because it is restrictive. Once they've read novel, readers still don't know precisely which one of Alcott's novels is being discussed. The appositive following novel restricts its meaning.

B. B. King and Lucille, his customized black Gibson have electrified audiences all over the world.

Incorrect. The appositive his customized black Gibson is nonrestrictive, so it should be set off with a pair of commas. A nonrestrictive word group describes a noun or pronoun whose meaning has already been clearly defined or limited. The commas signal that the information is not essential to the sentence's meaning.

Nursing is physically and mentally demanding yet the pay is low.

Incorrect. The coordinating conjunction yet joins independent clauses, so the comma is needed.

In 1845 came the publication of Douglass's first autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.

Incorrect. The title of Douglass's book is a nonrestrictive appositive, so it should be set off with commas. The title is nonrestrictive because the term first autobiography identifies the book; there is only one first autobiography.

When I saw the look on my father's face, I wanted to turn around, and beg the sheriff to let me spend the night in jail.

Incorrect. The word and does not join independent clauses, so no comma is needed.

City Café is noted for its spicy, vegetarian dishes and its friendly, efficient service.

Incorrect. There should be no comma between spicy and vegetarian because these are cumulative adjectives. (Cumulative adjectives sound odd when joined with and: spicy and vegetarian dishes. The comma between friendly and efficient is correct because these are coordinate adjectives. They can be joined with and: friendly and efficient service.)