Chapter 2 of 10All chapters
Chapter 2 of 10
Commas
Four jobs.
When to use one
Separating items in a list, joining two sentences alongside and or but, after an introductory phrase, and around a removable aside.
- If a phrase can be lifted out without changing the meaning, fence it with commas.
- The serial comma before the final and is optional and often clearer.
When not to
Never between a subject and its verb, and never joining two full sentences alone. If in doubt, read the sentence without the comma and see whether it changes.