WHEN TO USE A COMMA (,)?

Comma (,) Rules:

1. Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the rest of the sentence.

   Examples:

• • As the day came to an end, the farmers set off to rest.
  • Last Sunday, we had an exciting family outing.
  • When John was in the first grade, he made a birthday card for his mom.

2. Place a comma after each item in a series of at least three items. Between words in a series. “notice that a comma does not follow the last word in a series.

Examples:

• My grandmother prepared three kinds of salad: pasta, fruit, and vegetable.
• Clara, Jane, and Lacee are my best friends.
• I love swimming, dancing, and singing.
• The tents came in all different sizes, colors, and shapes.

3. Use a comma to separate town, city, and province in an address.

Example:

• No. 1 Cole Street

Montgomery, New York City

New York, U.S.A

4. Use a comma after a direct address in a sentence. To indicate direct address.

Examples:

• Is that you, Steve?
• Nicholas, finish your work.
• This is my sister, Anna.

5. Use a comma to set off the words Yes and No.

Examples:

• • Yes, thank you.
  • No, I don’t think so.

6. Place a comma between the day and the year in a date.

Examples:

• I was born on October 23, 1981.
• January 25, 1963

7. Place comma after the salutation and the complimentary closing of a letter.

Examples:

• Dear Helen,
• Sincerely,

Verb – an action word

  Examples: sleep, sing, dance

Sentences:

1. I did not sleep last night.
2. She sings nicely.
3. Joseph dances gracefully.

Verb – as linking/BE verbs

Sentence examples:

1. He is really beautiful.
2. His pen and pencil are on the desk

Not: Be mindful of the number of subject in using any kind of verbs. The number of subject will help you choose whether to use a singular or a plural form of the verb.

TRY THIS Quiz…

Verbs – that don’t show action. Considered as Helping Verbs.

Sentence Examples:

1. My mother has a new recipe book on Chinese dishes.
2. Really? I love Mandarin dishes, especially those with different spices.
3. I think Mother will be glad to prepare one for our lunch.
4. Yes, Mother appears excited to cook one for us.

Verb Phrase

• Consists of two parts:

1. Helping verb
2. Action verb

Examples:

• He is reading quietly in one corner of the classroom.
• I am studying the multiplication table.
• Some students are waiting for his answer.

Coding: Orange color – Linking Verbs, Pink color – Action Verbs.

Two – Word Verbs

• They are formed by combining a verb with another word called a participle, usually a preposition or an adverb.
• Some two-word verbs can be separated by placing a noun in between; others are inseparable.

Examples:

came in, put down, sit down, look up, wrote down, etc.

More examples below: