COMMAS and FULL STOPS
There are a lot of rules for commas. The basic ones are that commas separate things in a series and go wherever there is a pause in the sentence.
Commas are used in many ways:
- Bracketing commas
- Gapping comma
- Joining comma
- Listing comma
Commas are used in many ways:
- Bracketing commas
- Gapping comma
- Joining comma
- Listing comma
A pair of bracketing commas is used to mark off an interruption of the sentence.
- England, of course, trained very hard for the Rugby World Cup.
- Wales, as in previous years, played to its anticipated high standard.
It can be seen that, if one removed the words between the bracketing commas, the sentence would still make sense.
- England, of course, trained very hard for the Rugby World Cup.
- Wales, as in previous years, played to its anticipated high standard.
It can be seen that, if one removed the words between the bracketing commas, the sentence would still make sense.
The gapping comma shows that one or more words have been left out - for example, when the missing words would repeat the words already used earlier in the same sentence.
- The Irish wanted to base their national dance on that of Riverdance dance troupe,
others on the dances of their rural areas.
Instead of:
- The Irish wanted to base their national dance on that of the Riverdance dance troupe,
and others wanted to base their national dances on that of their rural areas.
The 'gapping' coma shows that the words 'wanted to base their national dance', which might have been repeated, have now been omitted.
- The Irish wanted to base their national dance on that of Riverdance dance troupe,
others on the dances of their rural areas.
Instead of:
- The Irish wanted to base their national dance on that of the Riverdance dance troupe,
and others wanted to base their national dances on that of their rural areas.
The 'gapping' coma shows that the words 'wanted to base their national dance', which might have been repeated, have now been omitted.
The full stop is used to mark the end of a sentence. If it is felt that two sentences are too short, join them together with a conjunction - and, or, for instance, etc.
