How To Use Commas When Listing Multiple Items

The commas between these items are signals.

How to use commas when listing multiple items. Use a comma after an introductory word or phrase. Use commas to separate items in a list. When there are two items in a list don t use a comma to separate the list items unless it helps your reader. Please buy custard and banana muffins. If you have a series of three or more items use commas to separate each item.

Hilda was back in a few moments wearing a long gray squirrel coat and a broad fur hat. You need commas between each item on the list with one important exception. The comma in front of the word and is optional. Commas customarily indicate a brief pause. In a series the comma before the conjunction is optional unless 1 there are three or more items in the series and the items are long.

That man is a pompous self righteous annoying idiot. Alexander s bridge willa cather when there are more than two items use commas between each item. When there are only two items there is no comma. When multiple adjectives modify a noun to an equal degree they are said to be coordinate and should be separated by commas. This probably the first use of commas you learned in school.

They re not as final as periods. Also don t use commas to separate other descriptions from words that indicate number or amount many more few less and so forth. Commas are used to separate items in a list. If the sentence still sounds natural the adjectives are coordinate. Charlie has to buy flashlight batteries breath butter cookies breath ice cream breath and cake.

My estate goes to my husband son daughter in law and nephew. Remember that any type of word can considered an item on a list. The comma helps the reader. For more on this see rule 8. Without the comma custard and banana muffins could be one item.