FANBOYS

(For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)

A comma precedes these words when the following clause is a COMPLETE sentence (subject and verb).

He is a leader in my life, but he is also my father.

He is a leader in my life but is also my father. (no subject after “but,” so no comma)

She is a pretty girl, and she has many friends.

She is a pretty girl and has many friends. (no subject after “and,” so no comma)

Commas in a Series

Commas must be used when three or more things are listed.

I bought milk, eggs, and cookies.

Note:  The final comma is questionable in the English language.  It is NOT NECESSARY, but MLA (the Modern Language Association) recommends it, so use it.

When two things are in a list, there is no need for commas.

I bought milk and eggs.

When “and” is used, no commas are needed.

I bought milk and eggs and cookies.

Introductory Phrases

Commas are ALWAYS needed after a transition into a sentence.

As a little boy, I loved playing football.

By four in the afternoon, I had attended all of my classes.

Because I am a petroleum engineering major, I want to work for Shell Oil Company.

After the game, we celebrated by going out to dinner.

Transitional Expressions

A comma (usually two, unless the expression is at the beginning of the sentence) is needed.

The information you include within the commas is usually not necessary, but aids in maintaining the tone of the sentence or provides a transition or opportunity for an example.

I, on the other hand, am not a fan of the News Feed on Facebook.

My teacher, for example, was one of the first people to enable the privacy feature.

Appositives

Appositives lend extra information to the sentence that is not needed in the completion of the sentence.  An appositive aids the reader in understanding your sentence.

Ben, my new friend, is a football player.

We do not need to know who exactly Ben is to understand that he is a football player.

Texas A&M, our school, is rich in traditions.

We do not need to know that Texas A&M is our school to understand that it is rich in traditions.

My best friend, Nicole, attends the University of North Texas.

We do not need to know my best friend’s name to understand where she attends school.

Shell, a well-known oil company, has an excellent work environment.

I do not trust that tire, the one with the yellow patch on the side.

REMEMBER:  Commas are not replacements for periods or markers for taking a breath.