Rule 4

Rule 4: Use a comma to set off parenthetical (non-essential) elements. Examples of correct usage: (parenthetical element in BOLD)

- So, did the second practitioner you visited, who was a nephrologist, send you for an MRI?

- And, your three children, on a break from camp, were all home during the break in?

- My wife, who was my girlfriend at the time, visited me in the hospital.

- Dr. Boteh, whom I saw immediately following the accident, could not believe I had survived!

Note that if the parenthetical phrase is removed, you are left with a complete sentence that makes perfect sense!

Four down…one to go!

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GlenPalo Premium Plus
Excellent training!
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Joshua2765 Premium
@GlenPalo
You're welcome, and thanks for stopping by Glen.

Continued success,

Joshua
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StefanieT Premium
Hi Joshua, this is such easy to understand training.

I've always considered myself good at grammar...until I started writing for my website that is. I then had to start to really think about what I was doing, and got so much wrong in the ways of comma's especially.
I was having a nightmare with it and have proof read most of my posts about 50 times now, and I still find mistakes!!! I'm a perfectionist :-)

But, I have learnt so much 11 months down the line, and believe I've almost cracked the code ha ha. But I have made a few notes of some of your pointers here and stuck them on my desk.

You know what would be really great (if you get time to of course), if you could do some training on semi colon, and colon, as I still have a bit of a problem with these, and so tend not to use them when I probably should.

Thank you
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leebray Premium
@StefanieT
great suggestion on semicolon and colon.
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Joshua2765 Premium
@StefanieT
I do plan to do those, Stefanie. Stay tuned.
Thanks for the suggestion.

Joshua
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Joshua2765 Premium
@leebray
Yes, it was.
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RAFStuart Premium
Always try to get it right, usually fail. My rule is simple if it does not sound right or if it is too long, use a comma!
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Joshua2765 Premium
@RAFStuart
Thanks for stopping by, Edwin.

Actually, your method is highly effective in some situations. However, the trick is knowing WHERE to use those commas. That's where those rules come in.

I was US Air Force, by the way. LOVED IT!

Continued success,

Joshua
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RAFStuart Premium
@Joshua2765
Once flew into USAF Offutt in a Vulcan, had a great ten days there.

Stuart
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Joshua2765 Premium
@RAFStuart
Heard great things about Offutt, but I never had the opportunity to go there.

Joshua
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Dale123 Premium Plus
"In these examples, one comma makes all the difference between an enjoyable bike ride between a husband and wife and an awkward, potentially hazardous interaction between four people."

That made me chuckle, LOL. Good training :)
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leebray Premium
@Dale123
me too, the wife had a situation on her hands. :)
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Joshua2765 Premium
@Dale123
Thanks for stopping by, Dale.

I had hoped that little example would make the point memorable, so I'm glad that it did.

Continued success,

Joshua
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Joshua2765 Premium
@leebray
That, she did! Lol!
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NScholz Premium
College Professor? Are you? This is indeed a great story to keep in mind. Personaly I don't think I use too many "Commas". :-)
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Joshua2765 Premium
@NScholz
Not a "professor," but I worked as an academic writing tutor for a local college for many years. One learns a thing or two in that capacity.

Thanks for the input. Continued success.

Joshua
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NScholz Premium
@Joshua2765
There you go! I KNEW it! Good for you. Thank you for the input!
Did I use too many 'commas'? Check it out! :-) Yeah! Okey-Dokey!
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