Commas and Conjunctions

words or groups of words to each other.
The 7 Coordinating

Conjunctions

of course, but it does serve, on rare occasions, as

a coordinating conjunction. It deals mostly with sequence or the order of things.

I hate to waste a single drop of squid eyeball stew, for it is expensive and time-consuming to make.

FANBOYS: Breakin’ it Down…

conjunction and.
and = in addition to
Ex. The bowl of squid

eyeball stew is hot and delicious.

FANBOYS: Breakin’ it Down

eat dry cat food, nor will he touch a saucer

of squid eyeball stew.

FANBOYS: Breakin’ it Down

or that are opposites, use the conjunction but.
but = however
Ex.

Rocky, my orange tomcat, loves having his head scratched but hates getting his claws trimmed.

FANBOYS: Breakin’ it Down

use the conjunction or.
or = alternatively
Ex. The squid eyeball stew

is so thick that you can eat it with a fork or spoon.

FANBOYS: Breakin’ it Down

or "but.”
yet = however
Ex. Rocky terrorizes the poodles next door

yet adores the German shepherd across the street.

FANBOYS: Breakin’ it Down

conjunction so.
Ex. Even though I added cream to the squid

eyeball stew, Rocky ignored his serving, so I got a spoon and ate it myself.

FANBOYS: Breakin’ it Down

eats it, then draws a gun and fires two shots

in the air. "Why? Why are you behaving in this strange, un-panda-like fashion?" asks the confused waiter, as the panda walks towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife manual and tosses it over his shoulder. "I'm a panda," he says, at the door. "Look it up."
The waiter turns to the relevant entry and, sure enough, finds an explanation.
"Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.”

by and or or.
Example
Romeo, Juliet, and Friar Laurence were present

at the ceremony.
Falling in love, getting married, and ending the feud all occurred in less than a week.
Romeo and Juliet had as advisors the nurse and Friar Laurence and Benvolio.

Rule 1: Commas separate parts of a series, words, phrases, and clauses

was frightening.

Rule 2: Commas separate two or more adjectives preceding

a noun.

he touch a saucer of squid eyeball stew.
We looked

through the school, and we searched outside the building.

Rule 3: Use a comma before for, and, nor, but, or, yet and so to separate independent clauses in compound sentences.

the lark, Juliet wished it to be a nightingale.
Rule 4:

Commas separate participial phrases and adjective clauses that are nonessential. Commas do not set off phrases or clauses that are essential to the meaning of the sentence.

form.
Having learned that Romeo killed Tybalt, the Prince Excalus banished

the young Montague.
Yes, the story is a tragedy.

Rule 5: Commas follow participial phrases, adverb clauses, words such as well, yes, no, and names of direct address that begin sentences.

emphasis or identifies the person or thing by telling which

one of two or more.
 
Example
Verona, the setting for the play, is in Italy.
Go, Juliet, to Friar Laurence's cell.
Mark Ferguson, Ph.D., is pursuing a new career in the literary field.

Rule 6: Use commas to enclose interrupters such as, most appositives and appositive phrases, titles and degrees after a name, words in direct address

story is similar to Romeo and Juliet.”

Rule 7: Commas

separate a quotation from its source, such as "he said" or "she said."

Romeo,
June 15, 1994

Rule 8: Commas are used in certain conventional

situations such as, items in dates or addresses and after the salutation of a friendly letter and closing of any letter.

of the following story starters:
It was a strange night, there

seemed to be a chill in the air...
As soon as I arrived, I could sense that something was out of place...
Sometimes I think my friend has strange powers. Every time he's around…
All of the sudden I was trapped!

Comma/Conjunction Group Write

of your paper.
Begin your story. Write 6 sentences. 3 of

which must include one of the 8 comma rules.
Exchange papers with someone else.

Write your name in the left margin and add 6 new sentences to continue the story. 3 of which must include one of the 8 comma rules. Exchange.
Everyone must contribute to 3 stories, eventually, using all 8 rules.

Group write guidelines