Comma Rules

Between items in a series

• Flour, yeast, salt, and oil make bread.
• He lived in Kansas, Missouri, and Texas.
• Dexter rode a horse, wrestled a steer, and shoveled manure.

Between two independent clauses with a coordinating conjunction: and, but, or, for, nor, yet, so

• He lived, and he died.
• He lived long, but he died poor.
• He could have been a doctor, or he could have been a lawyer.
• He did not marry, nor did he have children.
• He loved children, yet he did not have any.
• He did not want children, so he had none.

Separate a main clause and a subordinate clause with a subordinating conjunction: although, because, if, unless, etc.

• Although he lived long, he died poor.
• Because he lived well, he died well.
• If he had been a doctor, he might have been wealthy.
• You should get a good job, unless you want to be broke.

Separate a main clause from a non-restrictive phrase or clause

• non-restrictive (use commas)
  • My mom, who plays electric guitar, has red hair.
  • My dad lives in Kansas City, a great town for barbecue.
  • Barak Obama, a man of African descent, was the President of the United States.
• restrictive (do not use commas)
  • The lady who has red hair is my mom.