7 Common Comma Mistakes

I wanted to call it “Common Comma Conundrums” (I’m a sucker for alliteration), but I figured “Common Comma Mistakes” was more searchable. Oh, well. Either way, it’s a list of comma errors that people make a lot and how to fix them.

The 7 Most Common Comma Errors

1. Comma Splice

A comma splice is when you join two sentences solely with a comma – something that you’re not actually allowed to do in English grammar. To join two sentences (AKA independent clauses), there are only 4 methods:

1. A comma and a conjunction
   • We went to the zoo, and the whole family had a fabulous time.
   • I saw your email, but the file mentioned was not attached.
2. A semicolon
   • We went to the zoo; the whole family had a fabulous time.
   • I saw your email; the file mentioned was not attached. (A bit too formal for email IMHO)
3. A dash (though it’s frowned on in formal writing)
   • We went to the zoo – the whole family had a fabulous time.
   • I saw your email – the file mentioned was not attached.
4. A colon (in specific situations)
   • We went to the zoo: the whole family had a fabulous time. (This has a kind of cause-effect relationship, so it’s ok to use the colon. The other sentence doesn’t, and the two parts aren’t equal; therefore, it can’t. What can I say? Colon use is complicated.)

A comma splice is trying to use a comma in place of a semicolon.

• We went to the zoo, the whole family had a fabulous time. (WRONG!)

It doesn’t work, and it’s confusing to read. It makes you expect a phrase or dependent clause instead of a full independent clause, which can make the sentence harder to understand (Another example of why understanding clauses is important).

2. Direct Address

Direct address is when you’re naming the person you’re talking to in the sentence. I hear it used most when cheering someone on: “Go, Team!” “Go” is the verb, and “Team” is the group you’re telling to go. The comma tells the reader that you’re talking to someone.

Without it, the next word after a verb should be a direct object or a participle or something. It makes the sentence read as if “Team” is another verb that whoever you’re talking to is supposed to be doing. Like “Go read!”

Examples of correct direct address:

• “Hi, Roy!”
• “Greetings, Humans of Earth. We mean you no harm.”
• “Have you heard anything more from the client, Deepti?”
• “Yeah! Wooo! Great shot, Lissy!”
• “Oh, Charles, I didn’t realize you were there.”

Note: I wrote them all in quotes because to talk to someone you have to be talking (it made sense to me anyway).

3. Joining Clauses v. Using “and”

This may seem like a duplicate, but I’m not talking about the comma splice this time. No, this one is about a simplified rule that children are often taught in elementary: “Use a comma before and in a sentence.”

Teachers are thinking that this will cover lists and joining two independent clauses with a comma and a conjunction without going into all the complicated detail. And, yes, most students aren’t ready for that level of detail then. The problem with this lesson are twofold:

1. Many people continue to use it the rest of their lives.
2. There are situations where “and” shouldn’t have a comma in front of it.

Here are some example sentences with correct comma usage and an explanation when the comma was needed:

1. I bought a few new dvds, some books, and a piece of chocolate. (The comma before “and” is called the Oxford Comma. There’s a lot of argument over whether it’s necessary or not, but I prefer it since it makes the sentence more clear, especially in relation to phrases which are coming up below.)
2. Gerald saw his neighbor leaving her house, and he immediately ducked behind a hedge. (“Gerald saw his neighbor leaving her house” and “he immediately ducked behind a hedge” are both independent clauses. The “, and” is used to join them together.)
3. Gerald saw his neighbor leaving her house and immediately ducked behind a hedge. (This time, there is no subject after “and.” That means the whole sentence is one big independent clause, and no comma is needed.)
4. Gerald saw his neighber leaving her house, immediately ducked behind a hedge, and got stuck on a branch. (Now, there are three actions in a list, so commas are needed because of the list aspect.)
5. Gerald saw his neighbor leaving her house and immediately ducked behind a hedge and got stuck on a branch. (In place of using list format, you can use “and” repeatedly. It’s not always the best choice though it is useful for emphasis.)
6. Nirali and Ceci went out shopping for the first time in ages. (The “and” joins the two people into a single subject. No comma is needed.)
7. Nirali, Ceci, and Grace went out shopping for the first time in ages. (Again, now the commas are needed because there is a list.)

While some of these may seem like duplicate examples because they follow the same comma rule, people sometimes master a rule in one part of the sentence and don’t even consider it elsewhere. I’m not sure why that’s the case, but it seemed prudent to show how the same rule is used in different areas of the sentence.

4. Dialogue

Writing in dialogue format can be confusing for many people, and it certainly doesn’t help that the rules are different in American English compared to European English. Here are the basic rules for comma in dialogue in the U.S.

1. Commas should always be inside the quotes if used at the end of sentences. (“This,” not “This”,)
2. If the dialogue sentence would end with a period at a quote break, but the written sentence continues, use a comma in place of a period. (“I forgot,” said George, “I forget a lot nowadays.”)
3. When using text to introduce dialogue or join two pieces of dialogue, use commas after the text. (“I forgot,” said George, “I forget a lot nowadays.”)

Inside the actual sentences of the dialogue, follow all other comma rules as usual.

5. Sentence Interruption & Non-essential Phrases

Consider this section for any word, phrase, or relative clause that is surrounded by commas (one on either end) and can be removed from the sentence without completely breaking it. Usually these are a little added detail, an exclamation or even a coment on the sentence within the sentence (a small tangent, perhaps).

There are two major rules to this type of comma use:

1. There must be a comma separating the word or statement from the rest of the sentence.
   • If the phrase comes at the beginning of the sentence, the comma comes at the end of the phrase, separating it from the main sentence.
   • If the phrase comes at the end of the sentence, the comma comes just before the phrase, separating it from the main sentence.
   • If the phrase comes in the middle, the comma should be before and after the phrase, again, separating it from the main sentence (Are you noticing the pattern?).
2. The sentence must make sense without the word, phrase, or relative clause in question.

Error type #1: Not Using Enough Commas

Some people just write the sentence with the interruption and no commas or with half of the commas. Most people will understand the sentence if there are no commas, but it can get unclear or overwhelming, especially to people who struggle with reading anyway. With half the commas, things just get weird.

• Correct: William Churchill, a renown orator, had a very distinctive speaking voice.
• Incorrect: William Churchill a renown orator had a very distinctive speaking voice.
• Incorrect: William Churchill, a renown orator had a very distinctive speaking voice.

Yes, the appositive could be first in the last sentence, but that means that the main sentence is “a renown orator had a very distinctive speaking voice,” which nearly as informative a sentence as intended.

Error Type #2: Using Commas for Essential Phrases & Clauses

Some people just surround phrases or clauses with commas, which means they’re right sometimes and wrong sometimes. This can actually be more confusing because it suggest that whatever is in commas is not essential to the main point of the sentence. When the sentence doesn’t make sense without it, however, that sends conflicting messages.

It can also make comma savvy people spend inordinate amounts of time re-reading the rest of the sentence and trying to make it make sense on its own.

• Correct: She wanted the robot that talks.
• Incorrect: She wanted the robot, that talks.

Sidenote: The way I use parenthesis is very similar to this comma use. I generally pick parenthesis because it is very, very clear and hard to get muddled by other possible comma usage in interpretation. I could, however, use commas instead with the same meaning.

6. Commas for Pause (Warning!)

Not all teachers teach this, and I 100% understand why (It’s dangerous to give students wildcards in writing.). That said, there is a tradition of using commas when the writer wants a pause in the sentence. I do not recommend this, especially if you struggle with any of the other comma rules.

Why? It’s confusing for writers, editors, and readers. We try to interpret it as one of the usual comma rules and can’t.

If you really, really want a pause in a sentence, try an ellipse (…) or a dash (-). They have far fewer rules in general, so it’s much less confusing. Save the commas for where they’re needed for clarity.

7. Names, Locations, & Dates

Finally, the formatting for names with suffixes, addresses, and dates. These all include comma uses with very specific formats. With all 3, the most common error is to forget the second or closing comma. In fact, so many people forget it that I truly expect the rule to change at some point to reflect a single comma strategy.

Names

• Correct: I saw Bob Jones, Jr, in the park yesterday.
• Incorrect: I saw Bob Jones, Jr in the park yesterday.

Locations

• Correct: They went to Monterey, California, to see the aquarium.
• Incorrect: They went to Monterey, California to see the aquarium.

Dates

• Correct: It was January 22, 2017, when she saw the UFO.
• Incorrect: It was January 22, 2017 when she saw the UFO.

Granted, we often use dates as the introductory phrase of the sentence or at the end where this particular comma isn’t needed (you either get a different comma or a period), but in the middle of a sentence, the second comma is technically more correct.

In Summary

Although learning comma rules can seem like a pain, they are extremely useful for making your writing clearer. They also help change the nuances and meaning of sentences. Knowing them not only helps you recognize those nuances, it allows you to adjust them to fit your needs. Which is really what knowing grammar is all about anyway.

TL;DR – Learn to use commas well if you want to write.