Why are commas important?

1 Answer
Apr 15, 2018

Commas have so many functions. They can connect clauses or phrases, separate things in a series, and follow a quotation.

Explanation:

You wouldn't say:

I like cooking and he enjoys baking.

Until the scheduled singer arrives the performance cannot begin.

In the pigpen the pigs roll in mud.

You'd say:

I like cooking, and he enjoys baking.

Until the scheduled singer arrives, the performance cannot begin.

In the pigpen, the pigs roll in mud.

"I like cooking" and "he enjoys baking" are two different independent clauses. They are both complete thoughts and need to be separated.

"Until the scheduled singer arrives" and "the performance cannot begin" must also be separated. The first one is a dependent clause and the second one is an independent clause.

"In the pigpen" is a prepositional phrase. "The pigs roll in mud" is an independent clause. The two must be separated.

You wouldn't say:

I like ice cream apple pie and cherry tarts.

You'd add commas between the different items (same thing goes for people and places).

Think of how you speak and where you pause in speech. Even if the pause is short, it's still there. We don't speak without stopping. Not only would we run out of breath, that's just not how the language works.