How to Conquer the Comma
By Andrea Merrell Are you a writer who has trouble with comma usage? Unfortunately, there are no easy steps in mastering the use of this tiny punctuation mark. We can simply learn the rules, follow them the best we can, and hope for success. As an editor, these are some of the common mistakes I see writers make. Here are a few examples to help you simplify the process. Serial Comma Use a comma to separate words/phrases in groups of three or more. Incorrect: Maggie went to the circus with her sister, her mother and her best friend. Correct: Maggie went to the circus with her sister, her mother, and her best friend. The first sentence is incorrect because it can be misread, causing the reader to think Maggie’s mother is her best friend. Not all sentences will be misleading without the serial comma, but the best rule of thumb is to always use it in your writing to avoid confusion. Comma Splice Joining two clauses together with only ...
