Susan Perloff - freelance writer

I am honored today to introduce my guest blogger:

Susan Perloff is a freelance writer, editor and writing coach. She blogs about writing at http://www.susanperloffwrites.com/home/blog/  Susan can help you write better, whether you write newsletters, annual reports, training manuals, profiles, brochures, corporate histories or personal stuff. With four national writing awards to her credit, she has written for more than 100 periodicals, including 125 articles for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Primarily she writes for businesses and nonprofits about college admissions and auto emissions, cancer and careers, pharmaceuticals and farms, search engines and service businesses, chemicals and condominiums, mammography and metal detectors. Clients include blue-chip companies and small professional practices. For 20 years she has taught adults to write.

 

Commas: Friends don’t let friends use incorrect commas

A few hints to refresh what you once learned about commas.

Do not use a comma to separate a subject from its verb.

·   Management She learned to sit on the potty.

·   Zoos large enough to give animals freedom to roam [no comma] are becoming more popular.

·   The candidate was losing in the polls [no comma] but was hoping to win anyway.

In a sentence with a single subject and multiple verbs, use no comma between the verbs.

·   She went to the store [no comma] and bought eggs. The company buys graphic services directly [no comma] and does not go through an advertising agency.

In a sentence with multiple subjects and multiple verbs, do use a comma between the clauses.

·   She set the table, and he cooked dinner.

addresses   Use a comma between the elements of an address and after the name of a state.

·   We received a proposal from an agency in Altoona, Pennsylvania, to which we intend to reply.

·   The consultant from Kansas City, Kansas, wants to meet with us.

apposition   Use a comma to indicate apposition.

·   My husband, Ed, loves to ski means that My husband, whose name is Ed, loves to ski.

·   My husband Ed loves to ski, means that my other husbands, Sidney and Harold, prefer bowling.

dates   Use a comma to set off the year in a complete date. Do not use a comma with the month and year.

·   On July 4, 1976, a band played.

·   July [no comma] 1976 marked the nation's anniversary.

·   This issue is dated December 2003.

series   Decide whether you intend to use a comma before the end of a series. (This is called a serial comma.) Be consistent.

·   Go to the store to buy apples, oranges and Shredded Wheat.

·   The manager requested marking pens, rubber bands and longer lunch breaks.

Seriously missing a comma (from a “live chat”)

(Paul:             Hi, my name is Paul I. How may I help you?

(Susan:          I would like to pay my current bill of $143.10 online now by credit card. How do I do that?

(Susan:          Are you there?

(Paul: Did you want to prepay Susan?

(Susan:          I don’t want to prepay Susan. I want to pay the bill I received today. It’s for $143.10.

Thank you, Susan, for being my guest today on The Writing Jungle. Looking forward to having you back.

Visit Susan at: 
http://www.susanperloffwrites.com/  http://www.susanperloffwrites.com/home/blog/

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