Too many intermediate writers (and some professionals I know), commas remain a tricky punctuation to use. As they affect both the way a piece is read and its overall effect, they are crucial to get right, lest risk dampening what could be particularly strong points of your material.
Using a comma is sometimes very confusing upon when and where you will going to place it within a sentence or in a whole paragraph. Basically, commas are use to indicate natural pause, but if you place it by mistake, the whole though will be misunderstood. So you have to be very careful in doing it so. There are some things you need to keep in mind when using the punctuation comma.
If, like me, you occasionally need a refresher on the proper way to use commas (I sort of need one every couple of weeks), this handy guide (with examples built into each rule, by the way) should help you out. Needless to say, we implore you to use a grammar checking software to help on this end, as well.
•A comma may not look necessary when separating two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction (and, or, but, nor, yet, for, so), but they are absolutely necessary to correctly relay the idea.
•You always add a comma when you put two independent clauses together, and
•Seriously, when you employ an introductory word or phrase to start a main clause, use a comma right after it.
•When you insert a word or phrase in the middle of the sentence that isn’t essential, such as this phrase here, add a comma before and after it (I sincerely hope you got that; if you didn’t, read again).
•My old grammar teacher used to say, “Write a comma before and after a quoted statement,” when you use it as part of a sentence.
•When showing items in a series, whether they be nouns, adjectives or adverbs, always use a comma to separate them.
•An afterthought (along with a contrast statement) requires a comma right before it, as unfamiliar as you may be with doing that.
•Use a comma to set off a noun in direct address.
•You can also use a comma when you are setting off interrupting words and appositives.
Although a comma is a very common thing to use in a sentence or even in the whole content, the proper way to use it is quite ignored by some of us. You might even not notice it. But now, with all the rules that you should always remember, you can now start to write contents and be aware of using a comma.
There more rules to follow when you use a comma and you can check it over the internet to have some further reference about it. After writing what you intend to write, maybe a speech, letter, articles, story etc., make sure to read it all over and check if there are any errors or mistakes that you have committed while writing.
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