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This video explains the difference between affect and effect and provide tips for remembering which is which and when to use each one. If you suffe...
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How to Use a Freakin' Comma 33594 Views
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Want even more deets on How to Use a Freakin' Comma? Click here to review. Or take a look at our entire grammar section for all the goods.
Transcript
- 00:09
How to Use a Freakin' Comma, a la Shmoop. Certain things are so simple, it's a wonder
- 00:15
that some people don't know how to use them.
- 00:18
For example, you'd be appalled if you saw someone wearing their hat... like this.
- 00:23
Or using a pair of scissors... like this.
- 00:28
Or brushing their teeth... like this. The comma is one of those things that most
Full Transcript
- 00:34
of us use nearly every single day...
- 00:36
...and yet many of us are still clueless.
- 00:40
The poor comma is misused more than the blunt end of a screwdriver.
- 00:45
But we're going to set things straight.
- 00:47
So sit back, relax, and allow us to tell you everything you need to know about our curvy
- 00:52
little friend. So... when should you use a comma?
- 00:57
When separating out phrases that don't need to be there.
- 01:01
So you're writing a sentence and you want to add a little color commentary. Add it between
- 01:06
commas.
- 01:07
"My pug, Morton, is lazy."
- 01:11
Take out what's between the commas, and the sentence won't buckle.
- 01:14
Sure, Morton is totally appreciative of the shout-out, but if you removed his name...
- 01:20
and the two commas... the sentence would still send the same message.
- 01:24
"My pug is lazy." So in this instance, the comma is used to rope off non-essential information.
- 01:30
Sorry, Morton. We promise we don't consider you non-essential. Not that you'd ever get
- 01:36
off your duff to do anything about it. When linking two independent clauses with
- 01:43
a conjunction.
- 01:44
If you need a refresher, conjunctions include your "ifs," your "ands," your "buts" and your
- 01:48
"coconuts."
- 01:49
Ok, maybe not the coconuts.
- 01:53
When you've got two halves of a sentence that could exist on their own...
- 01:56
...but you're lumping 'em together...
- 01:57
...you'll use a comma and a conjunction to make them play nice with each other.
- 02:02
As in: "I'd like to go to Six Flags, but it's my day to clean the bathroom."
- 02:07
You could say "I'd like to go to Six Flags. It's my day to clean the bathroom."...
- 02:11
...but by adding a comma and a conjunction, you can say both. And you can make your obvious
- 02:17
bitterness so much more pronounced. When you're addressing someone in particular.
- 02:24
As opposed to all those times you go out onto your balcony to address the masses collectively.
- 02:31
This one can be a lifesaver... literally.
- 02:35
Just check out the difference between "Let's eat, Grandma!" and "Let's eat Grandma!"
- 02:40
Grandma only survives the first example. And it would really be a shame if she kicked the
- 02:45
bucket this close to her 90th birthday. When making a list.
- 02:55
A list of... inappropriate ways to use commas, for example.
- 02:59
Suppose we want to communicate that our favorite foods are "peanut butter M&Ms, Brussels sprouts,
- 03:06
and fried... anything."
- 03:08
But what about that last comma? You might have noticed that not everyone drops a comma
- 03:12
in that spot.
- 03:13
But Shmoop does. That last comma—also known as the serial or Oxford comma--can help alleviate
- 03:19
list confusion...
- 03:21
Like if we were to say, "Shmoop's role models are their parents, William Shakespeare and
- 03:26
Toni Morrison."
- 03:28
Although they possibly used to date... in some bizarre, alternate universe... Billy
- 03:33
Shakes and Toni M are not our parents.
- 03:36
Instead, we're naming three separate things. So we would write it this way:
- 03:41
"Shmoop's role models are their parents, William Shakespeare, and Toni Morrison."
- 03:47
People have gotten into full-on brawls over this one, but Shmoop says: Don't be a serial
- 03:52
comma killer. When you have more than one adjective modifying
- 03:57
a noun.
- 03:58
As in, "The brilliant, hilarious Shmoop." We could keep adding complimentary adjectives
- 04:03
all day long, but we think those two probably get our point across.
- 04:08
After introductory phrases or clauses.
- 04:12
Once we're done with this example, we'll move on to the next one.
- 04:15
<<Pause.>> That was it. Our example. Did you miss it?
- 04:21
So is that all? Those are the only times you need a comma? Well, no.
- 04:25
There are some other instances... dates, the ending of a letter, geographical locations,
- 04:31
et cetera... but these six are the biggies. But when shouldn't you use a comma?
- 04:37
The easy answer is... all other times.
- 04:40
You should never use a comma just because you feel like a sentence could use a good
- 04:43
pause...
- 04:44
...or because the period key on your keyboard is broken. Call Geek Squad... they'll hook
- 04:50
you up. But here are a few specific times when people
- 04:54
tend to get tripped up... When separating two independent clauses without
- 05:01
a conjunction.
- 05:03
A run-on sentence, believe it or not, isn't necessarily a long sentence.
- 05:08
If you plug a comma somewhere it doesn't belong, you can actually make a very short sentence
- 05:13
a run-on.
- 05:13
It might be more of a jog... but still.
- 05:17
Try this one on for size: "I eat, I sleep."
- 05:21
First of all... way to keep your priorities in order. But secondly... we've got a run-on
- 05:25
sentence here.
- 05:26
Both parts of the sentence could function on their own as complete sentences, and they
- 05:30
can't be joined by just a comma.
- 05:32
Without their conjunction buddy, it simply doesn't work.
- 05:35
This specific type of run-on sentence is called a comma-splice. And they're as painful as
- 05:40
they sound. After the conjunction.
- 05:46
So none of this: "You think you're wrong but, I think you're right."
- 05:51
Ugh. We just cold a cold chill. And finally, when separating a dependent and
- 05:58
independent clause with a conjunction.
- 06:01
Translation: a comma would be totally inappropriate here:
- 06:05
"We ran to the kitchen, and started to down some cookies."
- 06:09
"Started to down some cookies" isn't its own sentence, so even with the conjunction there,
- 06:14
the comma has to go.
- 06:15
Besides, the comma is only going to slow you down in your quest for those cookies.
- 06:19
Make sure you bring enough to share with the whole class.
- 06:22
So yeah, there are a few rules to keep straight...
- 06:24
....but it isn't brain surgery.
- 06:25
If it were... there would certainly be a lot of people praying not
- 07:59
to fall into a comma.
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