Commas indicate where to pause when reading a sentence.

Use commas to separate items in a series

January, February, and March are all summer months in the Southern Hemisphere.

The engine rattled, coughed, and stalled.

Use commas to separate two or more adjectives (describing words) that come before a noun.

The fat, hungry rat scurried across the floor and searched for food.

The Oompa Loompa is a creepy, evil creature.

Use a comma before and, but, for, not, or, so, or yet when it joins two complete sentences together to form a compound sentence.

Ms. Temple karate-chopped the Oompa Loompa, and he cried for hours.

She felt bad for hurting him, so she apologized.

Use commas to set off an expression that interrupts a sentence.

Mr. Robbins, my teacher, went to UC Santa Barbara, a college in California.

Use commas to set off words that are used in direct address (when you are speaking directly to someone)

Ben, please answer the door.Could you help me with my luggage, Sir?

Place a comma after introductory words or phrases.

Yes, you did step on my toe.After apologizing, David bought me an ice cream. In the summer, my favorite place is the beach.

Use commas to separate items in dates and addresses.

She was born on July 15, 1992, in San Diego, California.

Use a comma after the salutation of non-formal letters and after the closing of a letter.

Dear Sally, Sincerely,

September 20 2010 Dear Mom Yesterday at camp I went hiking fishing

and rope swinging. You will not believe what my hilarious helpful camp counselor did upon seeing some kids were homesick. She sang a Lady Gaga song and she danced like Shakira!

Love Sally

September 20, 2010 Dear Mom, Yesterday at camp, I went hiking, fishing,

and rope swinging. You will not believe what my hilarious, helpful camp counselor did upon seeing some kids homesick. She sang a Lady Gaga song, and she danced like Shakira!

Love, Sally