CH 25 NOTES

(CONTINUED)
COMMAS Introductory Elements and
Interrupters

Introductory Elements
Use a comma after certain
____INTRODUCTORY________ elements.
1. Use a comma after words such as well, yes, no, and
why when they begin a sentence.
______INTERJECTIONS__________ such as wow, yikes,
hey, if not followed by an exclamation point, are also set
off by commas.

Introductory Elements (continued)

Examples:
__NO__, I havent taken the exam yet.
_____SURE_______, Ill go with you.
_____WOW______, look at that car!

Introductory Elements (continued)

2. Use a comma after an introductory
______PARTICIPIAL___________ phrase.
Examples:
____CALLING FOR A TIMEOUT_______, the referee
blew her whistle and signaled.
Exhausted after a three-mile swim, Diana emerged
from the water.

Introductory Elements (continued)

3. Use a ___COMMA_______________ after
____TWO_________ or _____MORE____________
introductory _________PREPOSTITIONAL_______________
clauses.
Examples:
___BY______ the light ___OF______ the harvest moon
____IN_____ September, we went on an old-fashioned
hayride.

Introductory Elements (continued)

NOTE: A single introductory prepositional clause does
not require a comma unless the sentence could be
misread or awkward to read without one.
Examples:

In the book the writer develops a

secret plot.
In the book, review pages 236-

290.
In the book review, the critic
praised the authors clever plot.

Introductory Elements (continued)

4. Use a comma after an introductory
____ADVERB______________ clause.
An introductory adverb clause may appear in the beginning of
a sentence or before any independent clause in the sentence.

Examples:
When youve gone to this school as long as we
have, youll know your way around, too.
The first game of the season is Friday; _______AFTER
WE CLAIM OUR FIRST VICTORY_____, well celebrate
at Darcys Deli

Interrupters
Use commas to set off elements that
__INTERRUPT_____ a sentence.
1. Appositives and appositive phrases are usually set off
by commas.
An ___APPOSITIVE________ is a noun or pronoun that
follows another noun or pronoun to identify and explain
it.

Interrupters (continued)
Examples:
Nancy Landon Kassebaum, a senator from Kansas, was
the principal speaker.
Do you know him, the boy wearing the blue shirt?

Interrupters (continued)
When you set off an appositive, be sure to include
_______ALL THE WORDS THAT MODIFY
IT______________________.
Examples:
I read At Home in India, a book by Cynthia Knowles.
Neil Armstrong, the first person to walk on the moon,
took his historic step in July 20, 1969.

Interrupters (continued)
Sometimes an appositive is used to specify a particular
person, place, thing, or idea. Such an appositive is
called a ______RESTRICTIVE APPOSITIVE_______.
Examples:
My brother James helped me.
Have you ever seen the movie Home Alone?

Interrupters (continued)
2. Words used in _______DIRECT
ADDRESS________________ are set off by
_________COMMAS______________________.
Examples:
David, please close the door.
Did you call me, Mother?
Yes, Mr. Ramos, I turned in my paper.

Interrupters (continued)
3. Parenthetical expressions are set off by commas.
Examples:
You are, nevertheless, planning to arrive on time?
Gwendolyn Brooks, in fact, is my favorite poet.

Interrupters (continued)
Some expressions may be used ______BOTH_______
parenthetically and not parenthetically.
Examples:
Long-distance calls are a bargain, at any rate.
Long-distance calls are a bargain at any rate.