CJS IMAGE DICTIONARY

Commas: small, but vital!

You can either leap straight
in and see how you do OR
have a look at an introduction
and some examples first.

WRITE your answer then
click "TOGGLE" to check.

Make sure you understand your errors.

HINT: REPETITION is a major
key to learning, so do the test:

at least twice NOW
again TOMORROW
in four days' time
in a week's time
in two weeks' time


	John is talking to his Gran and suggests it's time to eat.
	lets eat grandma said john
	"Let's eat, Grandma," said John.
	"Let's eat Grandma," said John. - would be CANNIBALISM!


	the first line of Hamlet's famous soliloquy
	to be or not to be that is the question


	Mary is telling her Mum about a film she's been to see.
	the film was much too long and the actors were boring too
	The film was much too long, and the actors were boring, too.
	1) Most people would pause slightly after "long", so it needs a comma at the pause. 2) "too" meaning "also" at the end of a clause is preceded by a comma.


	The team arrives at the campsite .......
	1) we've got candles water and maps but weve forgotten to bring matches 2) for goodness sake mary I gave you a list candles matches water and maps


	The team arrives at the campsite ....... Anna is upset with Mary!
	1) we've got candles water and maps but weve forgotten to bring matches 2) for goodness sake mary I gave you a list candles matches water and maps
	1) We've got candles, water and maps, but we've forgotten to bring matches! 2) For goodness sake, Mary! I gave you a list: candles, matches, water and maps!
	The exclamation marks (!) are not obligatory, but seems appropriate here!


	There is only ONE Mrs Brown living in our street.
	mrs brown who lives at number 10 has lost her cat
	Mrs Brown, who lives at number 10, has lost her cat.
	The clause between commas is NON-DEFINING; it is not necessary in order to understand which Mrs Brown we are talking about. Therefore, it needs to be 'commared off'.


	There is more than ONE Mrs Brown living in our street.
	the mrs brown who lives at number 15 has lost her cat
	The Mrs Brown who lives at number 15 has lost her cat.
	"who lives at number 15" is a DEFINING clause: without it, we would not know WHICH of the several Mrs Browns is being referred to. Therefore, it is NOT 'commared off'.

Harry went down a corridor.

1) he went into the third room which was on the right
2) he went into the fifth room which was on the right

1) He went into the third room which was on the right.
2) He went into the fifth room, which was on the right.

"which was on the right " is:
1) DEFINING in the first example
2) NON-DEFINING in the second

1) later he went into the second room which was on the left
2) later he went into the fourth room which was on the left

1) Later, he went into the second room which was on the left.
2) Later, he went into the fourth room, which was on the left.

"which was on the left " is:
1) DEFINING in the first example
2) NON-DEFINING in the second


	Mum is telling her son James what to buy at the supermarket.
	james these are the things I need butter eggs milk and yogurt
	James, these are the things I need: butter, eggs, milk and yogurt.
	A COLON (:) precedes a list; COMMAS separate items in a list.



	1) tom looked at me and said after all tomorrow is another day 2) tom looked at me then said after all tomorrow is another day



	1) tom looked at me and said after all tomorrow is another day 2) tom looked at me then said after all tomorrow is another day
	1) Tom looked at me and said: "After all, tomorrow is another day." 2) Tom looked at me, then said: "After all, tomorrow is another day."
	A COLON (:) is best before a quotation which is an independent clause. Some use a comma, however.


	Chris explains how many blackberries his friend can keep.
	jim you can keep half of the blackberries you pick called chris looking over the hedge
	"You "Jim, you can keep half of the blackerries you pick," called Chris, looking over the hedge.
	Commas after "Jim" and "pick" are obligatory.


	A father is passing on a lesson to his daughter.
	your grandfather always told us this do your best and nobody can complain
	Your grandfather always told us this: "Do your best, and nobody can complain."
	: A COMMA is acceptable here, but I much prefer a colon.


	at the beginning of a school staff meeting
	ladies and gentlemen may I have your attention please said the headmaster


	at the beginning of a school staff meeting
	ladies and gentlemen may I have your attention please said the headmaster
	"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please?" said the Headmaster.
	The titles are capitalized here because applied to specific individuals. When this is NOT the case, use small letters: "Most headmasters have a difficult job to do."



	1) my fathers worked in laos vietnam cambodia and japan 2) my fathers worked in four asian countries laos vietnam cambodia and japan



	1) my fathers worked in laos vietnam cambodia and japan 2) my fathers worked in four asian countries laos vietnam cambodia and japan
	1) My father's worked in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Japan. 2) My father's worked in four Asian countries: Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Japan.
	Note the two different kinds of list; you don't need a COLON in the first type.



	1) bills newly laid lawn once in perfect condition had been ruined by moles 2) bills lawn was newly laid but had been ruined by moles


	A single mole's range can extend up to 2.7 acres. Its underground territory consists of large, complex burrow systems with separate areas for living and for hunting. Moles are insectivores, eating 70-100% of their weight in worms, grubs and insects each day. In order to hunt down their ground-dwelling prey, moles constantly excavate, leaving behind a series of tunnels. This requires a huge amount of energy, which explains the mole's voracious appetite.
	1) bills newly laid lawn once in perfect condition had been ruined by moles 2) bills lawn was newly laid but had been ruined by moles
	1) Bill's newly-laid lawn, once in perfect condition, had been ruined by moles. 2) Bill's lawn was newly laid, but had been ruined by moles.
	NOTE THE HYPHEN: "The speech was well received." / "It was a well-received speech." 1) "Bill's newly-laid lawn (once in perfect condition) had been ruined by moles." is an alternative.


	Hugh is delighted about a temporary job he's just landed.
	basically you get two days pay for just one days work brilliant


	Hugh is delighted about a temporary job he's just landed.
	basically you get two days pay for just one days work brilliant
	Basically, you get two days' pay for just one day's work. Brilliant!
	The "!" after "Brilliant" is not essential - just better in this context. The comma after "Basically", however, IS essential.



	1) albert einstein was the german scientist who discovered the principles of relativity 2) it was albert einstein a German scientist who discovered the principles of relativity



	1) albert einstein was the german scientist who discovered the principles of relativity 2) it was albert einstein a german scientist who discovered the principles of relativity
	1) Albert Einstein was the German scientist who discovered the principles of relativity. 2) It was Albert Einstein, a German scientist, who discovered the principles of relativity.
	Some might prefer this: 2) It was Albert Einstein (a German scientist) who discovered the principles of relativity.


	Two men are working on a difficult, but urgent and important job.
	1) however long it takes its vital to finish the job today isnt it said jules 2) its taking a long time said jules however we must finish it today mustnt we


	Two men are working on a difficult, but urgent and important job.
	1) however long it takes its vital to finish the job today isnt it said jules 2) its taking a long time said jules however we must finish it today mustnt we.
	1) "However long it takes, it's vital to finish the job today, isn't it?" said Jules. 2) "It's taking a long time," said Jules. "However, we must finish it today, mustn't we?"
	These are grammatical questions, though not really communicative ones, as the speaker is probably not asking a real question. Nevertheless, it is customary to put a ?


	1) The clergy are discussing dogs ....... 2) The Vicar has only ONE dog.
	1) my dog which is well trained has never bitten anyone said the vicar 2) dogs which are well trained rarely bite anyone said the bishop 3) well trained dogs rarely bite anyone said the pope


	1) The clergy are discussing dogs ....... 2) The Vicar has only ONE dog.
	1) my dog which is well trained has never bitten anyone said the vicar 2) dogs which are well trained rarely bite anyone said the bishop 3) well trained dogs rarely bite anyone said the pope
	1) "My dog, which is well trained, has never bitten anyone," said the Vicar. 2) "Dogs which are well trained rarely bite anyone," said the Bishop. 3) "Well-trained dogs rarely bite anyone," said the Pope.
	1) ",which is well trained," is a NON-DEFINING CLAUSE 2) "which is well trained" is a DEFINING CLAUSE


	John is talking about a difficult situation he and some friends are in.
	well it isnt optimal but it is what it is and we have to make the best of it

	There are two possible options after "... what it is"


	John is talking about a difficult situation he and some friends are in.
	well it isnt optimal but it is what it is and we have to make the best of it
	1) Well, it isn't optimal, but it is what it is, and we have to make the best of it. OR 2) Well, it isn't optimal, but it is what it is - and we have to make the best of it.
	The - makes for a longer and heavier pause.


	"well" is used with two different meanings here .....
	1) well though they played it was always likely they would lose 2) well though they did their best a victory was never on the cards


	"well" is used with two different meanings here .....
	1) well though they played it was always likely they would lose 2) well though they did their best a victory was never on the cards
	1) Well though they played, it was always likely they would lose. 2) Well, though they did their best, a victory was never on the cards.
	1) They played well, but were always going to lose.


	1) to sweep/swept/swept 2) to mow the lawn = to cut the grass
	ive swept mown and watered the lawn groaned jane who looked exhausted


	1) to sweep/swept/swept 2) to mow the lawn = to cut the grass
	ive swept mown and watered the lawn groaned jane who looked exhausted
	"I've swept, mown and watered the lawn," groaned Jane, who looked exhausted.


	Jack is explaining to his friend Jim's where John lives.
	apparently he lives in paris but im not sure whether thats paris france or paris texas usa



	apparently he lives in paris but im not sure whether thats paris france or paris texas usa
	Apparently, he lives in Paris, but I'm not sure whether that's Paris, France or Paris, Texas, USA.
	Commas are used to separate individual elements of an address.



	thank you for teaching me the word plethora said Spock to Captain Kirk it means a lot to me


	Yes, it IS a play on words - but you don't have to laugh .....
	thank you for teaching me the word plethora said Spock to Captain Kirk it means a lot to me
	"Thank you for teaching me the word 'plethora'", said Spock to Captain Kirk. "It means a lot to me."
	You can debate whether 'a lot' needs apostophes!


	Punctuate both sentences, then write a different sentence to avoid the ambiguity!
	1) recently weve been having problems with dogs following people on bicycles 2) weve recently been having problems with dogs following people on bicycles


	Dogs don't ride bicycles, but careless sentence structure might suggest that they do.
	1) recently weve been having problems with dogs following people on bicycles 2) weve recently been having problems with dogs following people on bicycles
	1) Recently, we've been having problems with dogs following people on bicycles. 2) We've recently been having problems with dogs following people on bicycles. suggestion: Dogs following people riding bicycles have been a recent problem for us.
	Both 1) and 2) are ambiguous, though clearly neither is intended to describe dogs riding bikes.


	It was of course never intended to be READ except by the actor learning his script!
	to be or not to be that is the question
	1) To be or not to be: that is the question. 2) To be, or not to be: that is the question. 3) To be or not to be? That is the question. 4) To be or not to be - that is the question. (the dash marks a longish pause)
	This has been hotly debated for centuries. IMHO, 1 is best. a) There would only be a comma after the first 'to be' if the actor was making a longish pause. b) The halves must be linked with a COLON because the second part is an EXPLANATION and DEFINITION of the first. A semicolon is WRONG and a comma pathetically weak.