The use of commas

[Chris4Davi]

I have been seeing an increase in the use of commas in certain sentences but I am quite unsure of how to use them correctly. Is it correct to use 2 to 3 commas in one sentence and they're not being used to separate points. I was taught in school that it is incorrect but I am seeing it in several books so now I am left to wonder.

[Baburra]

My personal rule is to just use a maximum of 2 commas per sentence because I think anything over that could be best said with two sentences. I don't exactly know the technical rules, but I think it's best to put them before words like "but" or "and", since those usually connote the start of a related new thought.

[Chris4Davi]

I don't normally put commas before conjunctions as I was told they are used in space of commas to somewhat separate points. The comma is placed to break a sentence, so the reader can pause then get to the new point. I really do need clarity on both now :karate:

[Kaffi]

Ahh, the comma rules and how to break them by not breaking them.

Well, it depends on your writing, what you are writing and in what context, if you might add another comma to separate an injected sentence or paragraph or not.

And then you have the rules of the form too. Legal documents, thesis, medical or science documents or plain entertaining all have specifics to how they are written that generally break some of the rules of "correct punctuation", that we all have been thought.

[Rosa]

A sentence can result in having quite a few commas. I try to avoid placing them  before conjunctions. If you are separating points within a sentence then you may have to uase 2-3 commas. However, you may have to use even more commas when listing things.

[byeeeeeeee]

Me too. I still remember the English writing exam last year, the teacher said I was using too many commas and she deducted me marks. I was really mad!! :devil: :devil:

[CorieHens]

When I was in school, we normally use comma in this way - apples, oranges, and pears. But in my professional life in the office, and even in the newspapers and magazines, I see a different way in using the comma - apples, oranges and pears.

Which do you think is really correct as far as English grammar is concerned?

[humanoid]

When I was in school, we normally use comma in this way - apples, oranges, and pears. But in my professional life in the office, and even in the newspapers and magazines, I see a different way in using the comma - apples, oranges and pears.

Which do you think is really correct as far as English grammar is concerned?

Apples, oranges and pears is correct. You don't need a comma before the word "and" as the word acts as a separator in its own right.

[NYC001]

Apples, oranges and pears is correct. You don't need a comma before the word "and" as the word acts as a separator in its own right.

Actually, this depends on whether you use the Oxford comma or not. It is a source of great debate among English speakers and I personally always use it.

The oxford comma indicates the comma before an and in a list. So using it would be apples, oranges, and pears. I think it is nicer and can avoid confusion!