Commas Edit

Highlight: Use commas to separate items in a series, and to separate certain kinds of clauses. Use serial commas.

Oxford/Serial commas

Use the Oxford comma before the conjunction in a series of three or more items.

Examples

Not recommended: Ensure that your tone is succinct, natural and friendly towards the reader.

Recommended: Ensure that your tone is succinct, natural, and friendly towards the reader.

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Commas following an introductory phrase

Use a comma after an introductory word or phrase.

Examples

Not recommended: Ultimately this simplifies the reader’s comprehension.

Recommended: Ultimately, this simplifies the reader’s comprehension.

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Commas separating two independent clauses

Use a comma to join two independent clauses which are separated by a conjunction such as and, or, nor, but, for, so, yet. Insert the comma after the first clause, that is before the conjunction. Don’t insert a comma if both the clauses are very short. Likewise, consider rewriting the sentence if it is long and complex.

Examples

Not recommended: Copy the file, and continue.

Recommended: Copy the file and continue.

Not recommended: Either download a theme suiting your needs or use one from the preinstalled themes.

Recommended: Either download a theme suiting your needs, or use one that is preinstalled.

Note: Don’t use a comma to join independent clauses when you don’t use a conjunction. Use a semicolon instead.

Examples

Not recommended: Copy the file, then continue.

Recommended: Copy the file; then continue.

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Commas separating independent from dependent clauses

When an independent and dependent clause are separated by a coordinating conjunction, insert a comma only if the sentence could be misunderstood without one.

Examples

Not recommended: Pages can be password protected and can only be modified by administrators.

Recommended: Pages can be password protected, and can only be modified by administrators.

Not recommended: Permalinks are permanent URLs, and their structure can be changed.

Recommended: Permalinks are permanent URLs and their structure can be changed.

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Commas separating two or more adjectives in series

Use a comma to separate two or more adjectives that precede a noun that is being described. Only insert a comma if the meaning of the adjectives doesn’t change by separating the adjectives with and or reversing the order of them.

Examples

Recommended: GutenbergGutenberg The Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses ‘blocks’ to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc. https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/ is a new, intuitive blockBlock Block is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience.-editor.

Not recommended: This is an enhanced, mobile UIUI UI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think ‘how are they doing that’ and less about what they are doing..

Recommended: This is an enhanced mobile UIUI UI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think ‘how are they doing that’ and less about what they are doing..

Rewrite sentences for a conversational style and tone if possible.

Examples

Sometimes okay: Write accessible, inclusive documentation.

Recommended: Write documentation that is accessible and inclusive of all readers.

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Commas and other clauses

Generally, it is beneficial to use commas for setting off specific kinds of clauses for better comprehension.

  • Use a comma before the word which at the beginning of a nonrestrictive clause. For more information, see Relative pronouns.
  • Put a semicolon, period, or a dash before a conjunctive adverb such as therefore, hence, besides, however, and insert a comma after the adverb.
  • Don’t use a comma before the causal conjunction because unless it is being used at the start of a nonrestrictive clause.

Examples

Not recommended: Click the button which has a dropdown menu.

Recommended: Click the button, which has a dropdown menu.

Not recommended: Input the data in the field otherwise the program won’t work.

Recommended: Input the data in the field; otherwise, the program won’t work.

Not recommended: The command won’t function, because it has been deprecated.

Recommended: The command won’t function because it has been deprecated.

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Commas and numbers

Use a comma to separate the year when writing a complete date. Don’t insert a comma between the month and year when a specific date isn’t mentioned.

Examples

Not recommended: This article was updated in September, 2020 by the author.

Recommended: This article was updated in September 2020 by the author.

Not recommended: This article was updated on September 13 2020 by the author.

Recommended: This article was updated on September 13, 2020, by the author.

For more information about punctuating numbers, see Numbers.

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Commas with verbs in a compound predicate

Don’t insert a comma between verbs in a compound predicate. A compound predicate is when two or more verbs pertain to a single subject.
In general, rewrite a compound predicate in two sentences, or add a subject for the second verb.

Examples

Not recommended: The application parses the data, and displays it in the terminal.

Recommended: The application parses the data. Then it displays the data in the terminal.

Recommended: The application parses the data, and then it displays the data in the terminal.

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