{"id":9422,"date":"2020-11-20T16:31:29","date_gmt":"2020-11-20T16:31:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/?p=9422"},"modified":"2023-04-10T20:45:57","modified_gmt":"2023-04-10T20:45:57","slug":"comma-after-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-after-first\/","title":{"rendered":"Comma after &#8220;First&#8221;: The Definitive Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>img#mv-trellis-img-1::before{padding-top:150%; }img#mv-trellis-img-1{display:block;}<\/style><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How often do you have to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/bare-in-mind-vs-bear-in-mind\/\"><b>bear<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/academicguides.waldenu.edu\/writingcenter\/punctuation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>punctuation marks<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They get pretty annoying <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-after-sometimes\/\"><b>sometimes<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, don&rsquo;t they?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cheer up. Don&rsquo;t let these sneaky little symbols bite your head off.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This post will help you make sense of the comma after the word <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and its other closely-related phrases.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<br>\n[toc]\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Do we need a comma after &ldquo;first&rdquo;?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><strong>The only way to get around this concern depends on how &ldquo;first&rdquo; is used in the sentence. A comma after <i>first <\/i>would be necessary when it appears in series, parenthetical expression, and clausal introduction. On the other side, a comma after &ldquo;first&rdquo; is unnecessary when it is used as an adjective, pronoun, or noun apart from the above-mentioned conditions.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Comma after <\/b><b><i>first <\/i>in more detail<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The general association of the term <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">falls under its ordinal meaning.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A numerical word used to mark sequences, arrangements, or positions is called an ordinal, a shorter version for &ldquo;ordinal number.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is an ordinal that&rsquo;s been used even before the twelfth century, according to Merriam-Webster online dictionary.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is also derived from the Common Germanic term <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">furista <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which means &ldquo;foremost&rdquo; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-after-and\/\"><b>and <\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Old Saxon <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fuirst <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which denotes the same meaning.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using the word <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">implies the opposite of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">last<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which automatically prompts readers to think that something is a fundamental source of information.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/coma-vs-comma\/\"><b>comma <\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">must come after it when it is used in a serial list, a parenthetical element, or an introductory adverbial connector.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-9426\" src=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin.png\" alt=\"Comma After First: The Definitive Guide\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin.png 320w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-768x1152.png 768w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-735x1103.png 735w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-223x335.png 223w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-231x347.png 231w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-347x520.png 347w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-427x640.png 427w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-512x768.png 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin.png\"><\/noscript><img loading=\"eager\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-9426 eager-load\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201000%201500'%3E%3Crect%20width='1000'%20height='1500'%20style='fill:%23e3e3e3'\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" alt=\"Comma After First: The Definitive Guide\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1500\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin.png\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-1\" data-src=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin.png\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin.png 320w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-768x1152.png 768w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-735x1103.png 735w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-223x335.png 223w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-231x347.png 231w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-347x520.png 347w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-427x640.png 427w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/Comma-After-First-Pin-512x768.png 512w\" data-svg=\"1\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><br>\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Comma after <strong>&ldquo;first&rdquo; in s<\/strong>eries<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The easiest, <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/nonetheless-vs-nevertheless-difference\/\" title=\"nonetheless\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">nonetheless<\/a> the most obvious, way to insert a comma after <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is when it is listed serially.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The same rule applies to any other words written in the same manner, which is grammatically undebatable.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">Ordinal words such as first, second, third, and fourth help readers understand the sequence of events.<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Comma after&nbsp;<\/b><b><strong>&ldquo;first&rdquo; with p<\/strong><\/b><b>arenthesis<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stylistically speaking, a parenthesis refers to a grammatically-dispensable encapsulated expression, which could be a word, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/clauses-vs-phrases\/\"><b>phrase, or clause<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, inserted by the writer.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parentheticals are often viewed as thoughts that are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-or-after-either\/\"><b>either<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> accidentally or intentionally included for the sake of explanation or clarification.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These thought representations are to be enclosed by commas to segregate their salience from the rest of the sentence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thus, a post-<a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-rules\/\" title=\"comma placement\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">comma placement<\/a> is deemed necessary when <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is used as the final or the only parenthetical element in a sentence.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">Acceptance, if I could just finish first, may only be achieved when you have already gone through denial, anger, bargaining, and depression.<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">In coping with loss, first, one must be aware that grief is an essential and unskippable process.<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>When <\/b><b><strong>&ldquo;first&rdquo; is used as an introductory element<\/strong><\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">as an introductory word to an independent clause is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-or-after-also-the-definitive-guide\/\"><b>also <\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nevertheless common.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When words, phrases, or clauses are used to introduce a sentence or a second clause, a post-comma is required by default.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">First, always remember that a comma must always come after every introductory conjunctive adverb.<\/div><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the written text is a rudimentary way to replicate oral speech, it is advisable to place a comma after introductory elements to emphasize the initial context.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Comma after other first-phrases<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is more often associated <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-with\/\"><b>with<\/b><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">signpost language, aside from its adjectival, adverbial, and nominal denotations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Signpost language refers to expressions used to guide listeners, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-usage-in-particular\/\"><b>particularly<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> orally,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in presentations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Several words do often come with the word <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The succeeding sections are composed of the other common first-related phrases that come with post-comma placements.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><b>First off<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First off <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is a typically-used expression in informal oral speech (although not limited to) especially in arguments <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-and\/\"><b>and<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> negotiations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Its usage usually implies a language user&rsquo;s heightened emotion for expressing hidden feelings or the need for explanation, as in self-defense.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">First off, I did not lie about what happened.<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">First off, look at me when I&rsquo;m talking, young lady.<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>First of all<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This expression is more of a formal version for &ldquo;first off&rdquo;.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We may hear this in opening speeches or read it in formal request letters and announcements.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When this phrase is used for explaining sequences, the listener or reader gets prompted to expect a few more upcoming pieces of information.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The succeeding information may be introduced by other sequence words such as next, then, and lastly.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">\n<p>First of all, all employees are required to attend the general meeting this Friday.<\/p>\n<p>Next, some rewards will be given to the ten earliest birds.<\/p>\n<p>The third and last thing I&rsquo;d like to say is that everyone must not forget to bring their old identification cards and hand them to me before the meeting starts.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This expression is also a commonly-used signpost language to start relatively formal speeches such as in meetings or business presentations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can be used to welcome and greet the audience.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">First of all, I would like to thank everyone for coming here today.<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><b>First, second, third<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-or-after-although\/\"><b>Although <\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">generally used when elaborating a series of events or identifying sequential arrangements of entities, these ordinals are often observed in giving instructions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instructions are usually done with imperative speeches such as commands and requests.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This means that the information may not contain a subject and would start with a verb <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-or-after-instead\/\"><b>instead<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">First, heat the pan with low fire. Second, pour 2-3 teaspoons of oil and wait for at least fifteen seconds. Third, saut&eacute; garlic and onions until lightly cooked.<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><b>First and foremost<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First and foremost <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">used to state information that is of utmost importance, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-or-after-thus\/\"><b>thus<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> it may be used in place of &ldquo;most importantly&rdquo;.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the expression denotes lexical redundancy, it implies the undeniable necessity of the intended information.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is expected that this expression is used to highlight the most crucial part of an explanation or discussion, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-thereby\/\"><b>thereby<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> grabbing the attention of a listener or a reader.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">First and foremost, we need to hire a new writer.<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">The writer, first and foremost, should be able to start by next week.<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><b>Firstly, secondly, thirdly<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ordinal words ending in -ly are more specifically called ordinal adverbs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although some may not agree with using these superfluous-sounding adverbs, we hear their usage quite frequently.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, we can say that using them would still be linguistically valid.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Compared to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first, second, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">third, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">these adverbs sound more formal, which means using them sparingly is recommended.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">Traveling alone has several perks. Firstly, you can eat whatever you want without considering others&rsquo; preferences. Secondly, you can enjoy great conversations with locals and understand their culture. Thirdly, you will never suffer any waiting games at all.<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>When do we not put a comma after &ldquo;first?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is used apart from the earlier-mentioned conditions such as in a serial list, parenthesis, or introduction, a post <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/unnecessary-commas\/\"><b>comma is unnecessary<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Again, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can be used as an adjective, adverb, or noun in a sentence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The given examples on the commonly-used first-phrases above are all conjunctive adverbs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-or-after-however\/\"><b>However<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, when <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is used either as a noun or adjective that doesn&rsquo;t fall within the previous conditions, post-commas won&rsquo;t be required at all.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>First as an adjective<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is an ordinal adjective equivalent to &ldquo;earliest&rdquo; or &ldquo;primary&rdquo;.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In its adjectival sense, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">has to be followed by a noun or <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/appositive-phrases\/\"><b>noun phrase<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">The first person who ever walked on the moon was Niel Armstrong.<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">Ally won the talent show&rsquo;s first prize.<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>First as a noun<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The nominal meaning of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can be used to refer to experiences that have never occurred before.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most likely, we have attached a significant amount of emotion to these kinds of experiences and thereby making them easy to remember.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">My fifteen-hour bus ride was an unforgettable first.<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">I have never eaten pufferfish in my entire life. The one I had in Japan last month was the first.<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>First as a pronoun<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lastly, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">may also be used as a pronoun that replaces an initial item, person, or event.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The pronoun <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">may also be interpreted as the simpler and shorter version of &ldquo;the first one&rdquo;.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">Among all the pairs of shoes I&rsquo;ve tried on, the first is my favorite.<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The word <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">first <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can be used in numerous ways and deciding whether to put a post-comma or not is actually like shooting <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/group-of-fish\/\" title=\"fish\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">fish<\/a> in a barrel.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hopefully, this post has helped you<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/thank-you-for-your-understanding\/\"><b>understand<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> using this word with flexibility.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-after-thank-you\/\"><b>Thank you<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for reading.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How often do you have to bear with punctuation marks? They get pretty annoying sometimes, don&rsquo;t they? Cheer up. Don&rsquo;t let these sneaky little symbols bite your head off. &nbsp;This post will help you make sense of the comma after the word first and its other closely-related phrases. &nbsp; [toc] &nbsp; Do we need a &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9425,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable-in-feed":false,"article-schema-type":"Article","disable-critical-css":false,"_convertkit_action_broadcast_export":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,1119,1116],"tags":[80,205,206],"class_list":["post-9422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english","category-comma-rules","category-grammar","tag-comma","tag-comma-after-first","tag-first"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9422"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9422\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24747,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9422\/revisions\/24747"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9425"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}