Examples:

Use commas to set off a noun of direct address.

Examples:

• Peter, please come over here.
• Please come over here, Peter.
• Please, Peter, come over here.

Use a comma in front of a direct quotation that is not at the beginning of a sentence.

Use a comma to separate information about the speaker in a direct quotation.

Examples:

Mrs. Scotto said softly, "The math test tomorrow consists of one thousand problems.  Class dismissed."

"The math test tomorrow," Mrs. Scotto said softly, "has a thousand problems on it."

 Note:  Commas (and periods) always go inside quotation marks.

Use commas to separate parts of addresses and places when they are written in a sentence.

Example:

She lived at 20 Joyce Road, Peabody, Massachusetts, until she moved to 51 Grove Street, Lynn, Massachusetts.

Put a comma after the day of the week, after the number of the day, and after the year when a date is within a sentence.

No comma is needed if only the month and year are in the sentence.  (Never put a comma between the month and the number of the day.)

Examples:

• They were married on Saturday, July 31, 1999, under stormy skies.
• He was born in July 1976.

Use a comma before and after words and abbreviations when they are used to introduce an example or series. Use a comma to set off etc.

Note: i.e. and e.g. are the abbreviations of Latin phrases.

i.e. means "that is to say" (Latin: id est)

e.g. means "for example" (Latin: exempli gratia)

Example:

There are a lot of science subjects one can take at the college, e.g., molecular biology, cosmology, advanced chemistry, quantum physics, etc.

Note:  Do not use the phrase "and etc."  Et cetera already means "and so on," so this is redundant.

Directions:

Place commas where needed.

1.  Yours truly
     Uncle Mike

2.  Hush now Susie don't you cry.

3.  Son if you listen to me now you will be thankful later.

4.  Close the door Rebecca.

5.  "Cut it out" said Daniel "before it's too late."

6.  Mr. Johnson announced "Let the race begin!"

7.  Please send full payment to 107 East Elm Street Westhighland New York.

8.  On December 31 1999 my father let me stay up until midnight.

9.  Her birthday was on the first Saturday of April 2002.

10.  With all the reasons to love the school e.g. the terrific kids the terrific teachers the super food etc. why would you want to transfer?

Answers

1.  Yours truly,
     Uncle Mike

2.  Hush now, Susie, don't you cry.

3.  Son, if you listen to me now, you will be thankful later.

4.  Close the door, Rebecca.

5.  "Cut it out," said Daniel, "before it's too late."

6.  Mr. Johnson announced, "Let the race begin!"

7.  Please send full payment to 107 East Elm Street, Westhighland, New York.

8.  On December 31, 1999, my father let me stay up until midnight.

9.  no comma needed

10.  With all the reasons to love the school, e.g., the terrific kids, the terrific teachers, the super food, etc., why would you want to transfer?