Period and Comma

Period

A period [.] is used at the end of complete sentences that:

Makes a statement – He is the heart of their defensive line.

Gives a command – All assignments are to be handed in no later than noon on Thursday.

Makes a request – Please open your textbooks and turn to page ten.

Asks an indirect question – The principal asked me why my undershirt was showing.

It is also used with abbreviations that are not written in all capital letters:

Examples:

Ex., Mr., yr., p.m., i.e.

Note, if a sentence ends with the use of a quote, the period should be placed inside the quotation marks.

– Mr. Noble insisted on calling John “little one.”

Comma

Commas are used for the following reasons:

To separate words in a series – The guy threw the stone, jumped the wall, and ran away as quickly as he could.

To set off information which when removed does not alter the intention/meaning of the sentence – The Causeway, which connects Portmore and Kingston, was replaced with the Portmore leg of the toll road.

To separate adjectives – She is tall, fair, beautiful, eloquent, and sassy.

To separate words/phrases of contrast – Politicians represent the people, yet they exploit them.

To introduce a quote – The defendant addressed the media today. He said, “The truth must come to light, and I will be found innocent.”

To connect independent phrases – Miss New York was the best model, but not the best speaker.

To avoid confusion – Interestingly, the most interesting thing about Edward Seaga is the interest he shows in Tivoli Gardens.

To set off introductory phrases/clauses – On the arrival of each celebrity to the theatre, the paparazzi flocked the vehicles.