Common Phrases

All right - Generally, "All right" will be its own sentence. "All right" is a colloquialism for "It is all right." "Alright" is not an accepted spelling for our purposes.

Example:
All right. Let's talk about this tomorrow.

Because - Generally, "because" will not need a comma before or after it occurs in a sentence.

Example:
The cat was also a witch because it was wearing a pointy hat.

Fillers: like, you know, I mean (in some contexts)
Not Fillers: kind of, sort of (as they introduce uncertainty in the sentence)
Nonfluencies: um, uh, erm.

Like - For us, "Like" will generally have four usages:

Filler- "Like" should be offset with comma when used as filler, meaning it isn't critical to the sentence and could be replaced with "uh" or "um."

Example:
It was, like, really crazy.

Comparatively - When a comparison is being drawn, do not use commas.

Example:
That cat was like a tiger really.

Introducing dialogue - If a phrase following like can be considered dialog, use a comma after "like" and treat the phrase as a quote.

Example:
And then Marcia was like, "There's no way I'm going to the football game."

As a verb - to like something.

Example:
I really, really, really, really, really, really like you.

You know - "You know" is almost always used as filler. It should be offset with commas.

Example:
You know, it was a great house.
You know it was a great house.

Note: To the reader, the above statement has two different meanings. The first is using you know as filler. The second reads such that the speaker is stating as a fact: You know that it was a great house.

Well, you know, it's just that kind of thing.

I mean - "I mean" is almost always used as filler. It should be offset with commas.

Example:
I mean, it's like it never even happened.
I mean to say that you're very special to me.

Note: The second example is less common usage of "I mean" not as filler but very intentional "I mean this," no commas necessary.

Items in a Series

Use a comma to separate discrete items in a series.
In a simple series, DO NOT use a comma between the penultimate item and the conjunction, aka the Oxford comma.

Correct: I love tigers, lions and ligers.
Incorrect: I love tigers, lions, and ligers.

Correct: The show features true crime, animal rights and politics.
Incorrect: The show features true crime, animal rights, and politics.

However, if a complete sentence is being used in a list, the complete sentence should still be offset normally.
I love tigers, lion, and I love ligers most of all.

You may even see a mix of these rules in a single sentence.
I love grapes, oranges and apples, but I don't care for bananas and figs, and I can't stand olives, cabbage or artichoke.

Separating Similar Words

Use a comma to separate duplicated words that would otherwise be confusing. Do not use a comma if it breaks up the resulting verb structure.

Correct: A zombie door is a dangerous trap, as it is easy to fall in, in your own house.
Incorrect: A zombie door is a dangerous trap as it is easy to fall in in your own house

• Note how the second "in" needs the comma. The reader naturally expects a noun or particle after a preposition, so a repeated preposition causes the reader to pause.

Correct: I thought he had had more witch cats than he let on
Incorrect: I thought he had, had more witch cats than he let on.

Correct: I had Bonnie give her her witch cat's broom
Incorrect: I had Bonnie give her, her witch cat's broom.

Note how the incorrect commas breaks up the verb structure.

Direct Address

When a noun (usually a name or name substitute) is being addressed, it should be wrapped in commas.

Example

• What's wrong, babe?
• Hi, Jim.
• Mother, I will be home late.
• No, ma'am, I did not take it.
• Where are you going, Mike?
• Do you know what you're doing, man?
• Hey, dude.
• And now, chefs, are you ready?
• Howdy, folks, and welcome.

For a Direct Address, still DO wrap the noun in commas after a conjunction that normally wouldn't have a comma after.

And, Carole, don't forget to feed the tigers.
But, Joe, didn't you buy a lemur?

Indirect Questions and Phrases

A comma should be used between the main clause and the indirect statement/question. Indirect questions should be punctuated with question marks.

Example

• The question is, what happened to Carole's husband?
• His only thought was, "I bet it was Carole."
• I tell you what, we shouldn't have kicked that tiger.
• There'll be a big cat reckoning tonight, I tell you!

Separation of Independent Clauses

When a sentence contains two clauses and two expressly stated subjects, use a comma. Otherwise, do not separate the clauses with a comma.

Correct: I went to Florida, and I flew a helicopter over the zoo.
Correct: I went to Florida and flew a helicopter over the zoo.

Incorrect: I went to Florida, and flew a helicopter over the zoo.
Note how in the incorrect sentence, there is no subject in the second clause. Therefore a comma is not needed.

Equal Adjectives

Equal adjectives are two or more adjectives that modify a single noun and have the same weight.
For example, a "juicy, delicious steak" is both a juicy steak and a delicious steak.

A useful test is to try putting the word "and" between the adjectives. If you can insert the word "and," you should use a comma.
Example

• It was a cool, dark night.

Adjectives that reflect size or color have less weight, and therefore do not need commas. Note that when "old" is used to mean "familiar," it has less weight and does not need a comma.

Example

• The witch cat pulled a rabbit from an old, dusty hat.

If the adjectives are unequal, no comma is used to separate them.

Example

• The good old "rabbit out of the hat" trick is a classic.
• Kim was horrified when she dropped the antique Oriental vase.
• The battered electric lamp cast a weak shadow across the floor.
  • The word "and" would not logically fit between the two adjectives "battered" and "electric" or "antique" and "Oriental."

Intro Clauses

If a subordinate clause (including all prepositional phrases) starts a sentence, it should be wrapped in commas.

• A subordinate/dependent clause provides a sentence element with additional information, but which cannot stand as a sentence.

Using the utmost skill and precision, the tiger opened the door.
With a sense of flair, Joe filmed his first music video.
But, barring any disasters, she will continue to work at the zoo after her accident.

Regular clause
The tiger opened the door using the utmost skill and precision.
Joe filmed his first music video with a sense of flair.

Comma-less Conjunctions

The conjunctions "and, but, or, yet, so" will frequently start sentences. No comma is needed after these conjunctions unless required by some other grammatical construction, such as a direct address or a filler.

And that's why it's unethical to pet tiger cubs.
So there's no way you could ever eat more than a lion.

Or, Joe, you could get it done much quicker.*
But, barring any disasters, she will continue to work at the zoo after her accident.*

*Note the comma after the "or" is to wrap the direct address in commas.
*Note the comma after the "but" is to wrap the introductory clause "barring any disasters."

Explanatory Conjunctions

Sometimes, "or" will be used to describe the same term in two different ways. In this situation, the "or" phrase could be considered nonessential information to the sentence and may need to be offset.

Correct: The revolutions per minute, or rpms, on our four-wheeler should increase with this new modification.
Correct: The Big Cat Rescue, or BCR, is under investigation for fraud.
* Note these are referring to the same object in two separate ways.

Incorrect: We need to get apples, or oranges, for the picnic.
Correct: We need to get apples or oranges for the picnic.

• Apples and oranges are completely different fruits, so the offset would not be appropriate.

Additional items in a series such as the above example also WOULD NOT need commas.
We need to get apples or oranges or grapes or pears for the picnic.

Essential vs Nonessential Clauses

Wrap nonessential clauses in commas. If a sentence makes grammatical sense without the clause, put it in commas.

This cat, Charlie, is a tiger.
My favorite color, blue, is the most popular favorite color.

Do not use commas when the information is essential to the structure or content of the sentence:

Correct: Suburban mom Carole plans to open up a zoo.
Incorrect: Suburban mom Carole plans to open up a zoo. This doesn't make grammatical sense, so the name is essential in this case.

Quotes

Generally speaking, commas and periods almost always go inside quotation marks.

I had a dream the tiger whispered, "Feed me," but then I woke up.
Let's binge 'Tiger King,' and I will make homemade pizza.

Dramatic Pauses

NEVER use a comma for dramatic pauses or when a character pauses mid-sentence unless it is otherwise grammatically needed.

Correct: The winner of America's Favorite Manager is Saff Saffrey.
Incorrect: The winner of America's Favorite Manager is, Saff Saffrey.

Correct: This is "Jeopardy."
Incorrect: This, is, "Jeopardy."

Correct: And introducing our most colorful guest, Joe Exotic, in all his glory!

• Even if there is a pause before Joe's name, we would include the comma because it is grammatically needed as it is a non-essential clause.