nce becomes a run-on sentence. It’s a little like watching a bicycle racing out of control—you don’t know how to stop, and you come crashing into the end!
If you find yourself using too many commas in your writing, you might be trying to fit too many thoughts into one sentence. You might also be creating run-on sentences. Take a look at this example:
I’ve been dreaming about this, I have nothing to wear.
The comma here is splitting up two things that have nothing to do with each other. This is called a comma splice, and it’s a mistake that can lead to some major misunderstandings.
Luckily, there are two very simple ways to fix this common mistake:
- Replace the comma with a period.
I’ve been dreaming about this. I have nothing to wear.
- Add a connecting word after the comma. Words like “and,” “but” and “or” show the relationship between the two parts of the sentence. They can also add to the meaning:
I’ve been dreaming about this, but I have nothing to wear.
There are other ways you might be overusing the comma, but the comma splice is one of the most common (and confusing).
Including commas in the wrong spot can also completely change what you’re trying to say. For example, there’s a terrible practice of clubbing baby seals for their fur (that is, beating them with a stick until they die). It’s a serious topic—one that is completely changed if you add a comma in the wrong place, like in this example.
Instead of saying “stop clubbing baby seals,” that image says “stop clubbing, baby seals.” Here, the comma turns the “stop clubbing” into an introduction, and makes it sound like the poster is asking baby seals to stop clubbing (partying in clubs)!
For more about the often misused comma, check this page.
4. Not using enough commas.
First we say you’re using too many commas, then we say you’re not using enough? That’s right! Using commas where they don’t belong can lead to problems, but so can leaving commas out. Don’t forget to include a comma in these cases:
- When listing items.
I need to buy broccoli, kale, and ice cream.
- When using a conjunction (words like “and,” “but,” “or”) if both sides of the comma can be read as complete sentences.
I want to go to sleep, but I still have work to do.
- When using an introductory phrase.
Even though the music was quiet, it still gave me a headache.
- When listing dates and locations.
I’ve lived in Brooklyn, New York, since June 20, 1997.
- When stating additional, non-essential (not absolutely necessary) information.
Michael Bay, a film director, loves explosions.
A quick note on listing items: The first example sentence above can also sometimes be written as:
I need to buy broccoli, kale and ice cream.
That last comma is called an “Oxford comma.” Sometimes it’s used, sometimes it’s not. It depends on your style! If you’re writing for someone or someplace (like a school or a publication), just ask what they prefer.
Leaving out any of these can turn a sentence into one long, breathless statement. That’s why stating that a toilet is only for “disabled elderly pregnant children” is so silly! How many children do you know who are pregnant, elderly and disabled?
For even more comma rules, revisit the Punctuation Guide page (you already have that bookmarked, right?).
5. Forgetting hyphens.
We’re back to these guys again! You might not think hyphens are such a big deal, but just wait until you’re faced with a “dog-eating cat!” Hyphens connect ideas. They’re the glue that holds descriptions together. They’re a pretty big deal!
Take, for example, our dog-eating cat. By placing that little line between the words “dog” and “eating,” you’re marking them as a single description. This means that, with the hyphen, you have a cat who eats dogs.
Without the hyphen, the words “dog” and “eating” are not connected, changing the way the phrase is read. You now have a “dog eating cat,” or a dog that’s actually eating cat as we speak (yuck, someone get that thing out of here!).
Okay, so you may not ever need to warn someone about a dog-eating cat or a dog that’s eating a cat (we hope). Hyphens show up 