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Punctuation Marks in English Langauge : How to use a COMMA
The Comma: The office of the Comma is to show the
slightest separation which calls for punctuation at all. It should be omitted
whenever possible. It is used to mark the least divisions of a sentence.
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A series of words or phrases has its parts separated
by commas:—"Lying, trickery, chicanery, perjury, were natural to him."
"The brave, daring, faithful soldier died facing the foe." If the series is in
pairs, commas separate the pairs: "Rich and poor, learned and unlearned, black
and white, Christian and Jew, Mohammedan and Buddhist must pass through the
same gate."
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A comma is used before a short quotation: "It was
Patrick Henry who said, 'Give me liberty or give me death.'"
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When the subject of the sentence is a clause or a long
phrase, a comma is used after such subject: "That he has no reverence for the
God I love, proves his insincerity." "Simulated piety, with a black coat and a
sanctimonious look, does not proclaim a Christian."
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An expression used parenthetically should be inclosed
by commas: "The old man, as a general rule, takes a morning walk."
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Words in apposition are set off by commas: "McKinley,
the President, was assassinated."
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Relative clauses, if not restrictive, require commas:
"The book, which is the simplest, is often the most profound."
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In continued sentences each should be followed by a
comma: "Electricity lights our dwellings and streets, pulls cars, trains,
drives the engines of our mills and factories."
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When a verb is omitted a comma takes its place:
"Lincoln was a great statesman; Grant, a great soldier."
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The subject of address is followed by a comma: "John,
you are a good man."
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In numeration, commas are used to express periods of
three figures: "Mountains 25,000 feet high; 1,000,000 dollars."
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