Commas with Appositives
The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
Commas with Appositives
The definition of an appositive is a word or word group that defines or further identifies the noun or noun phrase preceding it.
Rule: When an appositive is essential to the meaning of the noun it belongs to, don’t use commas. When the noun preceding the appositive provides sufficient identification on its own, use commas around the appositive.
Example: Jorge Torres, our senator, was born in California.
Explanation: Our senator is an appositive of the proper noun Jorge Torres. Our senator is surrounded by commas because Jorge Torres is a precise identifier.
Example: Our pediatrician, André Wilson, was born in California.
Explanation: Our pediatrician is still a relatively precise identifier so André Wilson is not considered essential.
Example: CEO Julie Minsky will be our featured speaker.
Explanation: Julie Minsky is necessary to help identify CEO, so no commas are used.
Example: Julie Minsky, CEO, will be our featured speaker.
Explanation: Julie Minsky is a precise identifier so the appositive is surrounded by commas.
Example: The girl who received a scholarship is my sister.
Explanation: The girl by itself is not sufficient information.
Example: My sister, who received a scholarship, will attend Harvard.
Explanation: My sister is a relatively precise identifier.
Example: My friend Harvey is an animal lover.
Explanation: My friend is not a precise identifier because one may have numerous friends.
Example: Harvey, my friend, loves animals.
Explanation: Harvey is a precise identifier.
Pop Quiz
Add commas if needed.
1. Ella my little sister will escort you to your seat.
2. My little sister Ella will escort you to your seat. Hint: You have two younger sisters.
Pop Quiz Answers:
1. Ella, my little sister, will escort you to your seat.
2. My little sister Ella will escort you to your seat. CORRECT. No commas if you have two (or more) younger sisters.
If the article or the existing discussions do not address a thought or question you have on the subject, please use the "Comment" box at the bottom of this page.
Question about comma placement in the following sentence:
“He paused and in the stillness of the moment his countenance glowed brightly.”
What do you think of:
“He paused and, in the stillness of the moment, his countenance glowed brightly”?
Thank you very much!
He paused, and in the stillness of the moment, his countenance glowed brightly. The reason is that “and” is serving as a coordinating conjunction between two independent clauses. We therefore need to separate them in the right place (after “paused”). The adverbial prepositional phrase modifying “glowed” and beginning with “in” then becomes attached to the next independent clause and is punctuated correctly with the comma before “his.”
This is very helpful. Thank you. If I were to write “Brett lives in Denver with his wife Leena and three sons.” should I use commas around ‘Leena’? I had always thought that, since Leena is Brett’s only wife, there would be no comma. If I read the rule above correctly however, then there should be commas. Thank you for clarifying.
Unless Brett is a polygamist, the term his wife is a precise identifier. Since “Leena” is not essential to the meaning of his wife, use commas around the appositive.
Brett lives in Denver with his wife, Leena, and three sons.
First of all, I would like to thank you for this wonderful explanation. I have a question:
“Brett lives in Denver with his wife, Leena, and three sons.”
If so then this means Brett lives with: his wife, Leena, and three sons (a total household of 6 people).
Am I correct?
Kaja did point out that Leena is Brett’s wife. Shouldn’t it be no comma after wife?
Grammar’s complicated!
That’s a good observation, Pama. Your comment demonstrates how it’s possible to follow all the rules perfectly yet the exact meaning of the sentence is still unclear. Rule 11 in the “Commas” section of Grammarbook.com states, “If something or someone is sufficiently identified, the description following it is considered nonessential and should be surrounded by commas.” Since Brett only has one wife, the word “Leena” is nonessential to the meaning of the word “wife.” Further, as Rule 1 states, “To avoid confusion, use commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more.” In theory, this sentence could be interpreted exactly as you did, with the series of three being his wife, Leena, and three sons. Therefore, depending on whether Brett’s wife is named Leena or whether Leena is some other member of the household, this sentence needs restructuring in order to be clear. Here are three possibilities (you can probably construct more):
1. Brett lives in Denver with his three sons and his wife, Leena.
2. Brett lives in Denver with his wife, three sons, and his cousin Leena.
3. Brett lives in Denver with his wife, Delores; three sons; and his cousin Leena. (Rule 4 of Semicolons: Use the semicolon to separate units of a series when one or more of the units contain commas.)
Do I need commas in the following,
Shadam will be married in her mother Sarah’s gold wedding band.
The scarf, given to Shadam by her father, Richard, will also be used.
Let’s take your two sentences separately. The rule states, “When an appositive is essential to the meaning of the noun it belongs to, don’t use commas. When the noun preceding the appositive provides sufficient identification on its own, use commas around the appositive.” If Shadam only refers to one person as mother (i.e., no stepmother, adoptive mother, etc.), the word Sarah is not essential to her mother, therefore use commas around the appositive. However, complicating this sentence is the possessive noun followed by an appositive, such that some may ask should the sentence be written as, “Shadam will be married in her mother’s, Sarah’s, gold wedding band”? The best guidance we can find on this is to add ‘s only to the appositive, as you have done, and also drop the comma that would normally follow the appositive phrase.
Shadam will be married in her mother, Sarah’s gold wedding band. (Although I doubt you would get much argument if you wrote, Shadam will be married in her mother, Sarah’s, gold wedding band.)
Or, you could remove any doubts by rewriting the sentence as, Shadam will be married in the gold wedding band of her mother, Sarah.
In the second sentence, the phrase given to Shadam by her father is essential to the word scarf since it identifies that particular scarf. Therefore no comma is required there; however, if Shadam only has one father, the word Richard is not essential to her father. A comma is used around the appositive.
The scarf given to Shadam by her father, Richard, will also be used.
Are the commas correct in the following sentences?
Charles went to town with his best friend, Mike.
Aided by their friend, Janice, the two friends built a treehouse.
Our Rule 11 of Commas says, “If something or someone is sufficiently identified, the description following it is considered nonessential and should be surrounded by commas.” In your first sentence, the term best friend is a precise identifier and the name Mike is nonessential, therefore you are correct to use a comma. In your second example, however, the word friend is not a precise identifier because one may have numerous friends. The name Janice is essential to the meaning of the word friend, since she is not their only friend. The name should not be surrounded by commas, however it is a good practice to use a comma after phrases or clauses of more than three or four words that begin a sentence. After short phrases or clauses, the comma is optional.
Charles went to town with his best friend, Mike.
Aided by their friend Janice, the two friends built a treehouse.
Aided by a friend I built a treehouse.
I think the sentence with my little sister can be both with and without the commas. If I have two little sisters, and one of them is called Ella, then the comma shouldn’t be there before the name. However, if have only one sister, then the comma should be there. Don’t you think so?
In the first pop quiz question, the appositive is my little sister. The noun preceding the appositive, Ella, provides sufficient identification on its own. Therefore, commas are used no matter how many sisters you have. In the second quiz question, my little sister would be sufficient if you only had one little sister. You could use commas in that case. No commas are required if you have more than one little sister. Therefore, the second quiz question could have two acceptable answers. Thank you for pointing this out. We will make the change to this grammar tip.
Can you define this is singular or plural sentence? I’m so confused because of it.
“A lady, along with her friends, … having dinner with the Mayor.”
Thank a lot for your comment.
When the subject is separated from the verb by words such as along with, as well as, besides, or not, ignore these expressions when determining whether to use a singular or plural verb.
A lady, along with her friends, is having dinner with the mayor. (Note that “mayor” is not capitalized.)
Do you have an example of a kid friendly examples for commas with appositives?
Thank You in advance.
Examples:
Mrs. Torres, my teacher, was at the music program.
My best friend, Sam, played the clarinet.
His youngest sister, who played the piano, is only in first grade.
My dog, a toy fox terrier, is well-behaved.
When are appositives separated by commas? Only when they’re nonessential?
Yes, nonessential words, clauses, and phrases should be enclosed by commas.
Is it proper to set off an appositive describing a question with commas, too?
Example:
Where do you see yourself in five years?, the first question on the application, made her panic. She didn’t know.
Although some writers would follow the question mark with a comma in your sentence, most editors would drop the comma and go with just the question mark. It would be advisable to rewrite the sentence to avoid this quandary:
The first question on the application was, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” It made her panic. She didn’t know.
Thank you!
Why did you add the quotes around the question? Are those necessary?
The quotation marks were necessary to indicate the exact words of the question “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
Is the comma usage after the word “and” correct in this situation?
This enhancement allows Department Managers to automatically approve new item requisition requests within Department requisitions: this includes the use of separate menu requests and, when approved, the addition of auto numbering new item request when added to the Item Master.
Sticking with the question at hand, the comma after the word and is correct.
Here’s a question about the use of commas in this sentence:
Is this correct?
“The bathtub is overflowing!” my youngest sister, Sheila, yelled.
Yes, your commas are correct.
What is the correct way to write this sentence?
In the article, “Saving Penguins,” thousand of teen-agers rushed to help 40,000 penguins.
In the article “Saving Penguins” thousands of teenagers rushed to help 40,000 penguins.
The plural form thousands is correct in your sentence. Also, our Rule 10 of Commas says, “When starting a sentence with a dependent clause, use a comma after it.” Therefore, write the following:
In the article “Saving Penguins,” thousands of teenagers rushed to help 40,000 penguins.
How about appositives in a series preceding “and?” I have been taught that we no longer should separate a series with a comma preceding an “and.” The applicable examples above do not reflect this newer model since they include a comma before the “and” such as:
“Brett lives in Denver with his wife, Leena, and three sons.”
If following the new rule of not using a comma in a series before “and,” this would be instructive and allow the comma to serve as the appositive modifier (reflecting Leena and wife as the same person) instead of the identification of an additional and separate person, Leena, when written without the second comma which is unneeded in a series.
Here is my question. Is the second comma essential for an appositive when an “and” follows it to separate distinct items/thoughts?
For example, “The dessert is made of bananaberry, a patented blended of bananas and blueberries and features a dollop of whipped cream.”
It would seem without the comma after “blueberries”, the whipped cream could be considered part of the patented blend (albeit in a poorly worded sentence,) which is not accurate. Or does the “and” alone separate the items adequately?
There is no “new rule” of not using a comma in a series before and. In our Rule 1 of Commas, we recommend using it in order to avoid confusion. We also acknowledge that most newspapers and magazines drop this comma in a simple series.
Whether the first example sentence is written “Brett lives in Denver with his wife, Leena, and three sons,” or as “Brett lives in Denver with his wife, Leena and three sons,” we could be confused as to whether Brett lives with four people or five, whether Leena is his wife, whether he lives with his three sons or Leena’s three sons, etc. As we mention in our comment of January 11, 2012, we can follow all the rules perfectly yet the exact meaning of a sentence can still be unclear. That’s why we suggested some alternatives for rewriting the sentence to make it clear whether Leena was Brett’s wife or a separate person. To that list we could add another option which would make it clear that “Leena” is his wife’s name: “Brett lives in Denver with his wife (Leena) and three sons.” Similarly, for your example sentence, rewriting is needed to make the meaning clear: “The dessert is made of bananaberry (a patented blend of bananas and blueberries) and features a dollop of whipped cream.”
How about when we have a possessive noun following the appositive?
Example:
Ralphie is my sister, Sharon’s, dog.
Is that written correctly? “My sister” is a precise identifier (let’s assume the speaker has just one sister), so I can see why we’d offset “Sharon” in its singular form. But, what about in a possessive case?
The possessive appositive, Sharon’s, is set off by commas. While your sentence is written correctly, it makes for an awfully awkward construction, and “the dog belonging to my sister, Sharon, …” would be preferable.
I would like to ask you a question about a sentence. Which would be the correct way to write this?
Andrew’s, the dead man, parents were fighting a custody battle.
Andrew’s, the dead man’s, parents were fighting a custody battle.
(Originally, parentheses were used instead of an appositive.)
You would be better off recasting the sentence; there should be no obligation to go with this awful combination of words. The fix is simple:
The parents of Andrew, the dead man, were fighting a custody battle.
In 1988, Indian-British author, Salman Rushdie, published a book called The Satanic Verses, which seemed to be a satire taunting modern Islam.
I am wondering if my comma usage is correct in this sentence.
Thank you!!!
When an appositive is essential to the meaning of the noun it belongs to, don’t use commas. Salman Rushdie is necessary to help identify Indian-British author. Book titles should be italicized.
In 1988, Indian-British author Salman Rushdie published a book called The Satanic Verses, which seemed to be a satire taunting modern Islam.
I have a question regarding a next sentence:
An above average student and talented musician John made his family proud.
My colleague has put a one comma before the name John, explaining that “an above average student and talented musician ” is a nonessential appositive and should be separated by comma. But I didn’t agree with it and my logic, that “John” is essential appositive and that’s why we shouldn’t put comma before it.
Who is right in this case? Could you be so kind and give me the answer for this question, please.
Thank you!
Your sentence begins with the dependent phrase An above-average student and talented musician. In accordance with Rule 10 of Commas, place a comma after this dependent phrase.
But John is essential appositive word and we don’t need to put comma before or after it! This sentence very similar with: my older brother Dean can’t do it. (If I have couple older brothers). If we consider “my older brother” like a nonessential phrase so we need to put a comma after it. But it’s not correct… or I’m wrong?
The crux of the sentence is “John made his family proud.” That sentence can stand on its own. The dependent phrase preceding it must be followed by a comma.
So in my example “My older brother Dean can’t do it” we need to put comma after “my older brother”? (accordingly the same logic)
No commas are needed if you have two (or more) older brothers. Please see Rules 10, 11, and 12 of Commas to help you distinguish between something or someone who is sufficiently identified and dependent clauses and phrases.
Thank you! I saw these rules and that’s why I confused. Let me consider my two examples again.
So the first sentence:An above average student and talented musician John made his family proud.
Second:My older brother Dean made me cry yesterday. (I have several older brothers)
In both cases we can see that John made his family proud and Dean made me cry yesterday are sufficiently identified so everything else is additional information – nonessential. According to your first answer we need to put comma after nonessential cloud even if it is before essential word.
So we have:An above average student and talented musician, John made his family proud
and
My older brother, Dean made me cry yesterday.
But your last answer is” No commas are needed if you have two (or more) older brothers”. But in first case we can have several above average students in class and couple talented musicians.
And I know that it is better to put names first in these sentences, in this case we don’t have any problems with commas, but the sentences are already composed and we can’t change it.
If it is a difference in these sentences or should be difference in logic, describing a structure of these two sentences, please let me know. Because I don’t see it and that’s why I totally confused.
We have made small revisions to our previous explanations to help you distinguish between someone who is sufficiently identified and a dependent phrase that begins a sentence. We hope this helps.
How about the use of commas in this catch copy?
“Amazing offers from Shinjuku, Japan’s leading luxury hotel”
Does the “‘s” after “Shinjuku, Japan” negate the need for an additional comma?
Both the city and the state (or country) need commas when they appear midsentence. However, ‘s, as used here, is a notable exception: it replaces the comma in such cases.
could you please tell me whether the following sentence is correct?
“Its headquarters is located in the capital Rabat, precisely in Madinat Al Irfane. ”
my teacher told me I should drop the commna before precisely. I dont understand why.
If the context of the sentence is such that it is understood that Morocco is the setting, then “Rabat” is nonessential since it is preceded by the word “capital,” and therefore should be set off by commas. The word “precisely” does not seem needed:
Its headquarters is located in the capital, Rabat, in Madinat Al Irfane.
How about this sentence? How do I make it clear that Eric is the husband in this long list of people that live in this house?
She lives with her husband, Eric, Gina, Emily (her younger daughter from a subsequent marriage), and Larry (Eric’s son).
You can use semicolons to separate units of a series when one or more of the units contain commas.
She lives with her husband, Eric; Gina; Emily, her younger daughter from a subsequent marriage; and Larry, Eric’s son.
Also, “subsequent” doesn’t appear to make sense here. Do you mean “previous”?
What about the following 2 examples:
The winner of our 2015 Screenwriting Award, “Theeb,” is now playing in theaters.
Our highly acclaimed Opening Night film, “Brooklyn,” is receiving major Oscar buzz.
Usually I would view a film title as “essential information,” but based on your rules I can’t quite tell if the information that comes before the film titles — the appositives — are proper identifiers. If I were to reverse the sentence, I know this would be the proper way to write it: “Brooklyn,” our highly acclaimed Opening Night film, is receiving major Oscar buzz…but I tend to need to put the title in the middle of the sentence, rather than at the beginning, hence the confusion. Thanks in advance!
Also, if I were to be less specific about the year the film won the award, thus not setting it apart from any of the previous winners, would this be correct:
The winner of our Screenwriting Award “Theeb” is now playing in theaters
This is, at best, a hopeless sentence that must be recast. “The winner” strongly suggests there is only one winner of the award. Therefore, commas are needed. If there are other winners of this award, you cannot describe “Theeb” as “the winner.” This might work: “Theeb,” a past winner of our Screenwriting Award, is now playing in theaters.
The first sentence is fine. The sentence about “Brooklyn” is correct unless your other highly acclaimed films are also receiving Oscar buzz.
In the following sentence, are the commas around “by Nora Roberts” correct? I know that the book title needs to be italicized, but I could not format it that way in this comment box.
In the fall, students will need to read Born in Fire, by Nora Roberts, in order to get English credit.
Yes, your commas are correct.
Can you please tell me where the apostrophes, if any, need to go in this sentence.
“Do you know all your brothers and sisters names?”
To show plural possession, write “brothers’ and sisters’ names.” See our post Apostrophes.
Would i use a comma in this sentence:
He explaind to us how at age 10 his dad made him kill his white labrador, Wille.
Your sentence needs to be rewritten. We suggest:
He explained to us that when he was 10 he was ordered by his father [“dad” is not appropriate here] to kill his white Labrador, Wille [Willie?].
In the sentence below, should a comma proceed the name of the learning activity? There are several other learning activities so I believe the title is essential.
Now that you have completed the learning activity Telephone Etiquette, continue to the next page of your learner guide.
Is this any better?
Now that you have completed the Telephone Etiquette learning activity, continue to the next page of your learner guide.
The title is essential in your first sentence. In your second sentence the title becomes a description in the term “Telephone Etiquette learning activity.” Our Rule 4a of Commas states: When starting a sentence with a dependent clause, use a comma after it. Therefore, your sentences are punctuated correctly.
In this sentence, is the comma necessary? If so, why?
I’m wondering if it is necessary because “by Charles Dickens” is a dependent clause, but that too may be incorrect.
We read the book Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens.
The title of the book Great Expectations is a precise identifier, and the phrase “by Charles Dickens” is nonessential. Therefore you are correct to use a comma:
We read the book Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens.
How do commas and appositives work when you’re trying to indicate possession.
(1) Our Senator’s, Jorge Torres’, first bill was for tax reductions.
Correct?
Or does the name not get completely separated?
(2) Our Senator’s, Jorge Torres’ first bill was for tax reductions.
Correct?
Or is it best to avoid the comma altogether in this circumstance of multiple apostrophes
(3) Our Senator Jorge Torres’ first bill was for tax reductions.
Correct?
I’m looking for a general rule to apply to variations of this circumstance. Thanks!
We recommend avoiding the double possessive. Your last sentence is correct.
How does this rule apply with the following sentence structure?
The politician’s, Senator Reid’s, bill was passed by the House.
We recommend avoiding the double possessive. The word politician is not a precise identifier. Therefore, the appositive is essential, and commas are not necessary.
The politician Senator Reid’s bill was passed by the House.
However, there is probably no need for “The politician” in your example. What else could a senator be?
Kindly look at this example. Is it necessary to put a comma to avoid confusion, or is it better as is? My editor and I are having a dispute in this.
“We Jorgensons will have our pound of Skrill flesh.”
We are arguing if we should or should not put commas before and after “Jorgensons.”
P.S. It’s a script of a show we’re working on. Thank you in advance.
Unless this is a special case, your sentence requires no commas.
Does the following sentence need commas?
The professor of clinical psychology at Amsterdam University Pim Cuijper states that there is no evidence that supports this online treatment is less effective than conventional therapy.
Thanks in advanced!
Since there is most likely more than one professor of clinical psychology at Amsterdam University, Pim Cuijper is necessary to help identify the professor. Therefore, it is an essential appositive, and commas are not necessary. Also, the sentence is awkward. We suggest changing “supports this” to “proves that.”
When setting off a person’s age, one uses comma before and after:
John, 18, lives in France.
Is it correct to do the same when “John” is possessive? For example: John’s, 18, labrador is white.
If not, do you have a source on that?
We recommend rewriting the sentence.
Please settle an argument. A friend posted this quote from Mike Pence, Donald Trump’s running mate:
“Our choice has never been more clear. We can either elect my running mate, a bold truth-teller, or the most dishonest candidate in history.”
My friend is taking this as a joke, saying that Pence is endorsing Gary Johnson (“a bold truth-teller”) among three candidates, while I say that even ignoring the obvious context of the statement, the phrase should still be taken as an appositive. I realize that the sentence is perhaps awkwardly constructed, but I still feel that there are clues to the meaning within the word choices.
The reason I give is that the use of either/or, and that the articles for the second two phrases differ, indicating that “”a bold truth-teller” is an appositive, being less precise and thus not indicative of a specific candidate (“A bold truth-teller? Which one?), while “THE most dishonest candidate in history” is clearly referring to one person (at least in Pence’s mind), and because even if there were other “most dishonest candidate(s) in history,” only one of them is running against Trump at this time.
Hope all that makes sense.
Your clever friend has found an ambiguity that could be avoided with a punctuation adjustment:
“Our choice has never been more clear. We can either elect my running mate—a bold truth-teller—or the most dishonest candidate in history.”
Does this sentence need commas around the name of the cookbook? The cookbook Joy of Cooking is still in print.
The title of the cookbook is an essential appositive. Therefore, no commas are necessary.
Having a heated debate with friends.
“We are filing this motion on behalf of Defendant, Smith Company, seeking summary judgment.”
“Wee are filing this motion on behalf of Defendant Smith Company seeking summary judgment.”
Which one is correct? Or are they both? Does it make a difference if there are multiple defendants?
The word Defendant is not a precise identifier; therefore, Smith Company is an essential appositive. No commas are used. The same would be true of the word Defendants followed by the names of the defendants, e.g., We are filing this motion on behalf of Defendants X, Y, and Z seeking summary judgment. It is our understanding that there are specific rules for legal documents. Therefore, you might want to consult a legal style manual if this sentence is part of a legal document.
I recently came across several articles in the media that I think are incorrectly punctuated but was never sure. So today thought I’ll check with the experts.
The example is below.
“The 10-year note was yielding 2.07 percent, the highest level since Jan. 14, and the 30-year was at 2.86, also a January high in afternoon trading.”
I think there should be a comma after “January high.”
So the sentence should be:
“The 10-year note was yielding 2.07 percent, the highest level since Jan. 14, and the 30-year was at 2.86, also a January high, in afternoon trading.”
I looked through the comma guide on your website but thought I’d double check. Feedback would be appreciated.
You are correct. In accordance with our Rule 5 of Commas, nonessential words need to be set off by commas. The phrase “also a January high” is nonessential.
Which sentence is correct?
“I had two siblings, named Jim and Marry.”
“I had two siblings named Jim and Mary.”
Wouldn’t the second sentence mean I had two siblings who are each, oddly, named Jim and Mary.
The second sentence could certainly be misinterpreted by a careful reader. The first sentence is awkward as well. Suggestions:
I had two siblings: one named Jim and one Mary.
I had two siblings: Jim and Mary.
I had a brother named Jim and a sister named Mary.
Please help me with this one.
Which of the following sentences is correct?
Give me that pen, please, Sue.
or
Give me that pen please, Sue.
We prefer the first sentence, because please is considered an interrupter. However, some editors may prefer the second sentence. Rather than either sentence, we recommend Please give me that pen, Sue.
Is this sentence correct in terms of comma use?
On November 26, 1922, Carter and a fellow archaeologist Lord Carnarvon entered the interior chambers of the tomb.
Yes, but we recommend removing the word “a.”
If you use your name and job title as your trading name, should you use a comma to write it, like this:
Bob Jones, Architect
?
Your comma is fine; however, titles immediately following the name do not ordinarily require capitalization unless the title is part of a signature line, press release, or promotional material. See our post Capitalization of Job Titles for more information.
Yes… but in the above example ‘Bob Jones, Architect’ as a business trading name I see as needing the capital, as it is the full name of an entity. Do you agree?
If the formal name of the company is “Bob Jones, Architect,” it should be capitalized.
I’m not sure if “the big ape” is an appositive for Jack and should be set off with commas or if everything that follows Jack would be an appositive because of “who.” (I think the second sentence is correct.) Please help.
He knew what people said about him. He was Jack, the big ape, who got his job because of his mother.
He knew what people said about him. He was Jack, the big ape who got his job because of his mother.
The entire phrase following Jack is an appositive. Therefore, only the comma after Jack is necessary.
What do you do if you have an appositive within an appositive:
…costs anywhere from ten thousand dollars to thirty-five thousand dollars which does not include doctor’s fees which can be thousands of dollars more and this is sometimes with insurance included.
Is this good?
…costs anywhere from ten thousand dollars to thirty-five thousand dollars, which does not include doctor’s fees, which can be thousands of dollars more, and this is sometimes with insurance included.
Is there a punctuation change for the second
There are a number of ways you could write it. Your second version with the commas before which are grammatically correct. However, if possible, we recommend recasting the sentence to something such as:
… costs anywhere from ten thousand dollars to thirty-five thousand dollars. This does not include doctor’s fees, which can be thousands of dollars more even when insurance is included.
In this sentence, does the final phrase “not otherwise specifically defined” which is preceded by a comma modify only “other similar uses” or all the uses listed?
” ‘Outdoor amusements’ means those amusements including: fairgrounds, outdoor sports facilities, racetracks, and other similar uses, not otherwise specifically defined.”
Grammatically, this sentence needs revision. In accordance with our Rule 2 of Colons, the colon is not needed. The phrase “not otherwise specifically defined” can only modify “other similar uses” since the sentence makes no sense if “and other similar uses” is removed. Therefore the comma after “uses” is unnecessary. We recommend: “Outdoor amusements” means those amusements including fairgrounds, outdoor sports facilities, racetracks, and other similar uses not otherwise specifically defined. Without further understanding of the context, and simply from a grammatical point of view, we would shorten to: “Outdoor amusements” means those amusements including fairgrounds, outdoor sports facilities, racetracks, and other similar uses.
I saw this sentence on a blog discussing conjunctive adverbs.They left out the comma before the conjunction so.
Is this correct? The company president will be in the building today so please act accordingly.
Our Rule 3b of Commas says, “In sentences where two independent clauses are joined by connectors such as and, or, but, etc., put a comma at the end of the first clause.” Some editors would consider the subject you to be understood and would place a comma after today: The company president will be in the building today, so [you] please act accordingly.
Is a comma required after “special guest” in the following sentence?
“The XYZ’s Bobby Smith reprises the Emmy Award-winning Bobby’s Corner with special guest, Mayor John Doe.”
I don’t think the comma is required since “special guest” cannot stand on its own.
Thank you.
You are correct.
How would I correct this sentence, if it needs to be using commas? Which option is the best?
1. He is a good but strict teacher.
a. He is a good, but strict teacher.
b. He is a good, but strict, teacher.
c. He is a good but strict teacher.
I think it should be either a or b, but I’m not sure. Thanks for your help!
Sentence c. is correct.
I still grieve my dear wife’s, Helen, death.
OR
I still grieve my dear wife, Helen’s, death.
OR
something else?
You’ve posed an interesting question that we feel should not be forced to conform to the guidelines we might normally follow for essential vs. nonessential words. From the context we assume that Helen was the subject’s wife at the time of her death. The flow and syntax of I still grieve my dear wife Helen’s death sounds natural to the ear.
could you please to tell me if the following is grammatically and stylistically correct?
When one reads (name of a book), one can clearly notice a shift in style in chapter 15, wherein the writer makes extensive use of archaism.
I have a feeling it is not fluent enough. Is there a way of making it better ?
Thank you
There are many ways you might frame your sentence—When one reads …, When people read …, When I read …—but your sentence is grammatically correct.
“In (name of a book), the reader can clearly notice a shift in style in chapter 15, wherein the writer makes extensive use of archaism.”
“Wherein” could also be replaced by “in which,” or even just “where,” if a less formal tone were the goal.
When we mean that an individual has more than one sisters, we place the comma this way:
Her sister Emily could sing very well. (She had three sisters)
However, if an individual has a first wife, a second wife, etc (in order of marriages and divorces), how do we convey that? Does that need restrictive treatment (without commas) or with commas?
David had come to the after-party with his wife Lily. (David married three times, and Lily is his first wife). Should this be “wife, Lily” or “wife Lily”?
When couples divorce, the women and men are generally referred to as ex-wives or ex-husbands, respectively. Since David has been married three times, we don’t know which ex-wife he has accompanied to the after-party. Therefore, the ex-wife’s name is essential: David had come to the after-party with his ex-wife Lily.
Is this correct?
Hello, darkness, my old friend!
If you Google these opening words to Simon and Garfunkle’s song “The Sound of Silence,” you will have a difficult time finding a comma after the word “Hello.” However, the way you wrote it is grammatically correct with the exception that a period should replace the exclamation point.
which is correct? Mrs. Brown stated her boyfriend, Jim Smith’s, education includes a degree or Mrs. Brown stated her boyfriend’s, Jim Smith, education includes a degree
Neither statement would be correct as punctuated. The correct treatment would be:
Mrs. Brown stated her boyfriend’s, Jim Smith’s, education includes a degree.
A potentially less awkward treatment would be:
Mrs. Brown stated the education of her boyfriend, Jim Smith, includes a degree.
Would the following sentences be correct?
My friend, Sara, came with me to the store.
My cousin, Chris, is a genius when it comes to math.
My brother, Eddie, goes to law school.
If you have only one friend, only one cousin, or only one brother, then your commas are correct because the names of these people are not necessary to precisely identify them.
But my teacher gave me this: My brother enjoys breaking toys. We have to add an appositive. I do not know.
You could add your brother’s name. Examples:
My brother Alex enjoys breaking toys. (No commas if you have more than one brother.)
My brother, Alex, enjoys breaking toys. (Use commas if Alex is your only brother.)
How would you punctuate the following book dedication? Do I need to add another comma before the names of my family members? Remove the comma after their names?
This book is dedicated to my mother Ellen, who inspires and guides me in all things, and who instilled in me a deep disregard for the notion of “impossible”,
and to my children Eli and Noah, with deepest gratitude for their endless bravery, persistence, humor, curiosity, and love.
If you have only one mother and Eli and Noah are your only chldren, “my mother” and “my children” are precise identifiers. Therefore, the names should be surrounded by commas. Also, our Rule 4 of Quotation Marks says, “Periods and commas ALWAYS go inside quotation marks.”
This book is dedicated to my mother, Ellen, who inspires and guides me in all things, and who instilled in me a deep disregard for the notion of “impossible,”
and to my children, Eli and Noah, with deepest gratitude for their endless bravery, persistence, humor, curiosity, and love.
Should I put commas around “from the arts to athletics” in this sentence?
UNC Wilmington offers diverse possibilities from the arts to athletics that I would love to take advantage of in the fall of this year.
This may be a matter of author’s interpretation, but we would not enclose the phrase in commas. Our interpretation is that “from the arts to athletics” is an adjective phrase modifying the noun “possibilities.” We would not include the commas because they would separate the noun from its modifier, which is not an appositive.
What about:
We have a relationship with Mr. Smith through our partnership in Florida and his nephew who is a member of our church.
Is a comma needed after nephew?
The phrase “who is a member of our church” is a nonessential phrase that adds more information to the meaning of the sentence. Therefore, it should be preceded by a comma. For clarity, we recommend rewriting to one of the following:
We have a relationship with Mr. Smith through our partnership in Florida and through his nephew, who is a member of our church.
OR
We have a relationship with Mr. Smith through our partnership in Florida, as well as through his nephew, who is a member of our church.
We have a relationship with Mr. Smith through our partnership in Florida and his nephew who is a member of our church.
You proposed:
“We have a relationship with Mr. Smith through our partnership in Florida, as well as through his nephew, who is a member of our church.”
But I think the original sentence is ambiguous. Isn’t the following also possible?
“We have a relationship with Mr. Smith through our partnership in Florida, as well as WITH his nephew, who is a member of our church.”
The sentence is a bit ambiguous, however our assumption of the intended meaning was based on the original sentence mentioning “a relationship” rather than “relationships with Mr. Smith … and his nephew,” as well as the specific question asked, which was “Is a comma needed after nephew?” Our response seemed to satisfy Ginny Tarver, since she did not write back with any further clarifications.
I am trying to write the sentence in an email regarding tuition for my only son:
“I am certain I owe a large amount for my son, Blaise’s, participation.” If “Blaise” is the appositive and I only have one son, I believe I should use the commas. Since he is possessing his participation, can I add the “‘s” and then follow that by a comma?
While perhaps a bit clunky, it is correct to write “I am certain I owe a large amount for my son’s, Blaise’s, participation.” You could recast the sentence as “I am certain I owe a large amount for the participation of my son, Blaise.”
Do you agree with the comma punctuation in the following two sentences?
My good friend Harry went to the party.
A good friend of mine, Harry, went to the party.
Thanks.
Yes, both sentences are punctuated correctly.
How about this sentence?
“Hato Island, and its 223 residents, was striked by a tornado”
Is it correct?
There are several issues with the sentence. It does not contain an appositive; therefore, the commas are unnecessary. The sentence contains two subjects, Hato Island and residents. The plural verb were should be used. The past tense of strike is struck. Also, a period is missing from the end of the sentence.
Hato Island and its 223 residents were struck by a tornado.
“On the Closing date the Buyer shall transfer the balance of purchase price ($5,125,500) to the Seller’s broker bank account, number 13579, at Wells Fargo Bank.”
Are the commas used in the sentence correct? (, number 13579,)
Thank you!
The commas are correct, or enclose the bank account in parentheses instead: (number 13579).
Question:
Where would the comma go in the sentence below? Would it go inside or after the quotation marks around “release”?
The punishment, called “release”, is brutal.
Thank you!
Our Rule 4 of Quotation Marks says, “Periods and commas ALWAYS go inside quotation marks.” (This is the American rule.)
I wish someone would explain this to Wikipedia.
Where would the comma go in the sentences?
1 That house in fact belongs to my grandfather.
2 No I have never seen him before.
3 The teacher said “I am not giving any homework.”
4 My brother Jerry told us some very interesting stories.
5 Mr. Johnson our coach told us to accept defeat graciously.
Using the information you learned in this article along with our Rules 5 and 6 of Commas, try answering these on your own.
I’m having problems understanding appositives.
For instance, what do the following two sentences imply?
1) Paul’s sister Louise is getting married.
2) Paul’s sister, Louise, is getting married.
Thank you.
The first sentence without the commas implies that the appositive (Louise) is essential to the meaning of the noun it belongs to (sister). Therefore, Paul must have more than one sister. In the second sentence, the commas indicate that the noun preceding the appositive (sister) provides sufficient identification on its own. Therefore, Paul has only one sister.
I understand this rule but I find the examples not sufficient since they all refer to persons. I recently watched a news-video which included the sentence
“One of her top priority issues, an expanded family-leave programme, has failed to gain traction”. The subtitles wrote the apposition between commas but I feel like the apposition is necessary to know which “one of her […] issues” it refers to. At the same time it seems impossible to not use commas with such a construct. Am I just wrong in my feelings that it is restrictive? Is it actually non-restrictive? If I am right, which rules would require us to still use commas?
Thanks a lot.
It is actually non-restrictive. There are situations where determining restrictive (or essential) words or phrases versus nonrestrictive (or nonessential) are not clear-cut. In those cases we look at what constitutes the core sentence. In your example that would be One of her top priority issues has failed to gain traction. That sentence works fine on its own. The appositive, an expanded family leave programme, provides supplemental information (as it does in this sentence).
“Any building permit (application) that has gone through the processes necessary to secure a building permit, including, but not limited to, rezoning and subdivision, and was legally and formally applied for prior to adoption of this ordinance, may be continued without obtaining an allocation.”
I have been struggling with this sentence. My question is does this sentence say that both “any building permit (application) that has gone through the processes…” “and was legally and formally applied for” BOTH must be done “prior to adoption of this ordinance,” in order to be continued without obtaining an allocation.
Or, does it say that “any building permit (application) that has gone through the processes…” and also “was legally and formally applied for prior to adoption of this ordinance, ” “may be continued without obtaining an allocation.”
It seems that if a comma was between “applied for, and prior to adoption,” it would change the meaning and imply both items must be done “prior to adoption” to then “be continued without obtaining an allocation.”
Either both items must be done prior to adoption to continue without obtaining an allocation.
Or the first has gone through the processes, and only the second must be applied for prior to adoption, to then “be continued without obtaining an allocation.”
My grammar is admittedly very weak, but everyone tells me that the document this comes from is well written. Thanks for your efforts.
Perhaps the document the sentence comes from is well written, but the sentence is not. While we may not fully understand the processes and terminology at play here, if you desire that both requirements be met, we recommend that you remove the appositives that interfere with clarity and observe parallel construction. One option may be:
“Any building permit or permit application that has gone through the required permitting processes (e.g., rezoning and subdivision) and been legally and formally applied for before adoption of this ordinance may be continued without obtaining an allocation.”
Is this sentence correct?
It’s called upcycling, or turning something you would otherwise throw away into a useful item.
I am questioning the use of the word or and the comma together.
Our Rule 4b of Commas states, “A comma is usually unnecessary when a sentence starts with an independent clause followed by a dependent clause.” However, in your sentence, the pause by the comma helps convey a parenthetical thought and separate the definition from the term. Therefore, it’s fine to bend the “rule” in this case.
Is her teacher a precise identifier? Or do I use commas or not?
Her teacher handed back the papers on time.
His father, Mr. Hatchet, was also a very tall man.
Your first sentence does not contain an appositive; therefore, commas are not necessary. In the second sentence, father is a precise identifier (as long as there is only one person he calls his father). In that case, the commas are correct.
Food trucks, which trucks equipped to cook and serve food, are becoming a popular dining option for food enthusiasts.
How do we correct this?
Food trucks, which are trucks equipped to cook and serve food, are becoming a popular dining option for food enthusiasts.
Can you pleae help?
Mt. Everest, the world’s highest peak, is 29,028.
In addition to writing music, the composer, Johann Sebastian Bach, worked as a musician and conductor.
The waiter a friend of mine is also a college student.
In rugby, a rough sport, many players are injured.
A serious student, Rebecca, will graduate early from college.
Gone with the Wind now a movie classic will be on television tonight.
I was five when I went to my first sporting event, a baseball game.
My father’s friend Carlos is a well-known chef.
Her hero is Michelle Kwan a, skating superstar.
King Olaf’s homeland, Norway, is in northern Europe.
As the post states, “When an appositive is essential to the meaning of the noun it belongs to, don’t use commas. When the noun preceding the appositive provides sufficient identification on its own, use commas around the appositive.” In your first sentence, Mt. Everest provides sufficient identification on its own; therefore, the commas around the non-essential appositive the world’s highest peak are correct. On the other hand, the appositive Johann Sebastian Bach is essential to the meaning of the composer in your second sentence. No commas are necessary. Applying these rules, you should be able to do the other seven sentences on your own.
This sentence has a subordinate clause and an appositive set off with dashes:
While I don’t mind citrus fruits – lemons, limes, and oranges – I really prefer vegetables.
I need to put a comma after the subordinate clause. Where does it go? It looks strange after “fruits” and even stranger anywhere else.
As we indicate in Rule 2 of Dashes, dashes can replace otherwise mandatory punctuation. In addition to your approach, other possibilities could be:
While I don’t mind citrus fruits (lemons, limes, and oranges), I really prefer vegetables.
or
While I don’t mind citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, and oranges, I really prefer vegetables.
The number one seed, Tampa Bay Rays, played the eight seed, Toronto Blue Jays. Are these commas correct?
As the post states, “When the noun preceding the appositive provides sufficient identification on its own, use commas around the appositive.” Therefore, your commas are correct.
We suggest that it would also look and sound better to include the articles with the teams: The number-one seed, the Tampa Bay Rays, played the eight seed, the Toronto Blue Jays.
For the less ardent fans who may not understand this topic, to help make it clearer while sounding better, we’d switch to descriptive participles instead of using nouns in apposition:
The number one-seeded Tampa Bay Rays played the eighth-seeded Toronto Blue Jays.
I have a question about comma use when a person’s title acts as an appositive. Are the following punctuated correctly?
1. The mayor of Toronto, John Tory, has introduced…
2. Toronto Mayor John Tory has introduced…
3. John Tory, Mayor of Toronto, has introduced…
I’m pretty certain #1 and #3 are correct, but #2 gives me pause. Should there be a comma after “Toronto Mayor”? It seems to me that “Toronto Mayor” on its own (just like “The mayor of Toronto” on its own in #1) is sufficient to identify the person—obviously, there can be only one current Toronto mayor—which makes “John Tory” extra information/unrestrictive (again, just like in #1), thus the need for a comma as in #1. Yet “Toronto Mayor, John Tory, has introduced…” looks/sounds wrong, even though I can’t pinpoint the grammatical difference between sentences 1 and 2. If you could enlighten me on this, I would be most grateful!
Thank you
When a formal title precedes a person’s name, it is capitalized as part of the name; therefore, no commas are required. When the word the appears, the title is used descriptively and requires a comma (as in the first sentence).
Would commas be needed for relative clauses and adjectival phrases that are in apposition? For example, which sentence below displays correct punctuation?
1) There was a call about a man who’s sick named Paul.
2) There was a call about a man who’s sick, named Paul.
To achieve greater clarity in writing, it is best to keep related items as close together as possible. This includes identifying information. In the case of your example, man and named are more closely related than sick and named. For this reason, a clearer sentence would be There was a call about a man named Paul who’s sick (or who is sick). Note also that who’s sick would be a restrictive clause (no separating comma) because it describes one man from possibly many men named Paul.
Is this grammatically correct? I need to prove one of my teachers wrong.
If I don’t get this assignment back tonight, I will not be able to play in my lacrosse game tomorrow, and, understandably, I have been looking forward to it.
The comma after the word and is unnecessary.
Is a comma after the word and always necessary?
No. Example:
Her dog, Bruno, loves to eat macaroni and cheese.
What about this example? Should there be a comma between the first “and” and “at,” or before the “and”?
Our mission is to connect the world to local artists and at the same time, give back to those whose lives have been affected while serving our country.
Our Rule 6b. of Commas says, “Use commas to set off expressions that interrupt the sentence flow (nevertheless, after all, by the way, on the other hand, however, etc.).
Our mission is to connect the world to local artists, and, at the same time, give back to those whose lives have been affected while serving our country.
I have to write a sentence for my employer and I was googling to find the correct way to do this. I simplified the sentence. I can think of two ways it could go:
Deed from John and wife Jane to Bob.
Deed from John and wife, Jane to Bob.
Deed from John and wife, Jane, to Bob.
I’m leaning towards the last one. What do you think?
Unless John is a polygamist, the word “wife” is a precise identifier. Since “Jane” is not essential to the meaning of “wife,” use commas around the appositive. In addition, since it is not a complete sentence, we see no reason to end in a period.
Deed from John and wife, Jane, to Bob
Do you have to insert a comma in the following question and why?
Have you read Madol Duwa the famous children’s book?
Madol Duwa is a precise identifier; the appositive “the famous children’s book” is not considered essential. Therefore, a comma is necessary. In addition, book titles are italicized.
Have you read Madol Duwa, the famous children’s book?
What if the appositive is the title of a short story? The story title belongs in quotation marks, but it isn’t dialogue. To me, the quotation marks are part of the appositive and the commas should fully enclose the appositive. I think #1 is correct. Where do you think the comma belongs?
1. In the short story, “The Tell-Tale Heart”, Poe explores the physical manifestation of guilt.
2. In the short story, “The Tell-Tale Heart,” Poe explores the physical manifestation of guilt.
As the post states, “When an appositive is essential to the meaning of the noun it belongs to, don’t use commas.” Because Poe had written more than one short story, the title is essential to the meaning of the noun “story.” Therefore, no commas are necessary. In cases where an appositive in quotation marks is not essential, our Rule 4 of Quotation Marks says, “Periods and commas ALWAYS go inside quotation marks.”
Can Appositive Clauses (Noun Complements) Be Set Off With Commas?
Another grammar site says that noun clauses used as appositives are surrounded with commas, like this:
The problem, that you did not pick up the packages, delays the entire production schedule.
I think the solution, that he hired a replacement, was the best course of action at the time.
Yet Brandeis University says this:
Rule 4: Do not use commas to set off essential elements of the sentence, such as clauses beginning with that (relative clauses). That clauses after nouns are always essential. That clauses following a verb expressing mental action are always essential.
Example: It is critical that you not put a comma in this sentence.
(me: In the above example, the that-clause [noun clause, not relative clause] modifies [or complements] an adjective, not a noun, so I’m not sure what is going on here. Also, I think that the author of Rule 4 is mixing “that” relative [adjective] clauses with “that” noun clauses, and probably means “that” noun clauses.)
Who’s right?
Thank you.
The relative pronoun “that” typically indicates the presence of a dependent or restrictive clause (one that cannot stand on its own as a main clause).
Example:
This is the book that he put on the table.
The “that” clause identifies a specific book.
In the examples that you cite, there is a full dependent clause functioning as a noun subject or object in apposition to another noun subject or object already named. In these cases, the dependent noun clause acting in apposition to the subject or object noun would be set off by commas:
The problem [subject], that you did not pick up the packages [appositive renaming the subject], delays the entire production schedule.
I think the solution [direct object], that he hired a replacement [appositive renaming the object], was the best course of action at the time.
At the same time, both sentences could potentially benefit from revision:
Because you did not pick up the packages, the entire production schedule is delayed. (The problem is apparent.)
I think his solution to hire a replacement was the best course of action at the time.
Is the use of commas correct in this sentence?
1) My manager created the discussion topic, What concerns do you have at work?, in my appraisal document.
Or, should it be one of these two:
2) My manager created the discussion topic What concerns do you have at work? in my appraisal document.
3) My manager created the What concerns do you have at work? discussion topic in my appraisal document.
Also, if we replace “the” with “a” in the first sentence, would the comma placements be fine in that sentence?
We recommend writing as follows:
Restrictive appositive (the topic): My manager created the discussion topic “What concerns do you have at work?” in my appraisal document.
Nonrestrictive appositive (a topic): My manager created a discussion topic, “What concerns do you have at work?”, in my appraisal document.
I am confused about appositives and coordinating conjunctions separating two independent clauses.
Where should the commas be in the following sentences, and why?
e.g. I said I would do it and, as you may recall, your brother heard me.
e.g. Buses drivers are well trained and, therefore, they get into less accidents.
e.g. Joshua and Caleb had brought back the minority report after spying out the land, and as a result they were spared the judgement against the unbelieving Israelites.
Thanks.
Your examples do not contain appositives. Our Rule 6b of Commas says, “Use commas to set off expressions that interrupt the sentence flow (nevertheless, after all, by the way, on the other hand, however, etc.).” Therefore, the following are correct:
I said I would do it, and as you may recall, your brother heard me.
Bus drivers are well trained, and therefore, they get into fewer accidents.
Joshua and Caleb had brought back the minority report after spying out the land, and as a result, they were spared the judgment against the unbelieving Israelites.
In a sentence which has three nouns as its subject—which could be regarded as having one noun as the subject along with two other nouns in apposition to the first noun—is there a comma after the third noun?
“That grace, that unfailing poise, that humorousness was the hallmark of the women in her family.” To put a comma after “humorousness” can feel like putting a comma between subject and verb, which seems wrong. But if “poise” and “humorousness” are read as being in apposition to “grace,” they seem “inessential” and therefore—as nouns in apposition—to require commas. Thank you (and apologies for dull sentence).
We recommend using a comma after “humorousness.”
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
A My cousin, John is my favorite cousin.
B My cousin John is my favorite cousin. (According to the page, B is the correct answer. No comma is used).
C My cousin, John, is my favorite cousin.
D My cousin John, is my favorite cousin.
As the post states, “When an appositive is essential to the meaning of the noun it belongs to, don’t use commas. When the noun preceding the appositive provides sufficient identification on its own, use commas around the appositive.” Since John is my “favorite” cousin, we know that he is not the only cousin. Therefore, the name John is essential to the meaning of the noun “cousin,” and no commas are used. See our posts Essential, but Is It Important? and Commas with Nonessential Elements for rules on commas with essential and nonessential clauses.
Would you use a second comma in the phrase “I liked my husband, Steve’s, hawk”? Or is it “I liked my husband, Steve’s hawk.”
To write your example correctly in formal English, you would require two possessives: one for the primary adjective and one for the identifying name in apposition: “I liked my husband’s, Steve’s, hawk.” Otherwise, without punctuated apposition, you would have a restrictive modifier that suggests you have more than one husband (e.g., The hawk is my husband Steve’s and not my husband John’s).
To avoid this awkward construction, you could re-write the sentence in another way such as:
I liked my husband’s hawk.
I liked Steve’s hawk.
My husband, Steve, had a hawk; I liked it.
To join two coordinating clauses, we use a comma after conjunctions such as and, but, etc. If we have expressions that interrupt the flow of the sentence, and if they come after the conjunction, should we use a comma before and after the interrupting expression?
Example:
Bus drivers are well trained, and therefore, they get into fewer accidents.
Shouldn’t there be a comma before the word “therefore” because it is the only one interrupting the flow?
The word “and” is unnecessary in the sentence. Our Rule 2 of Semicolons says, “Use a semicolon before such words and terms as namely, however, therefore, that is, i.e., for example, e.g., for instance, etc., when they introduce a complete sentence.”
We would rewrite as follows:
Bus drivers are well trained; therefore, they get into fewer accidents.