How To Use Commas When Naming Someone

So basically use commas if the name is for something or someone who is unique and omit them if they re not unique.

How to use commas when naming someone. I met my wife dorothy at a dance. For this reason it s important to include the comma when addressing someone directly. The addition of commas gives extra emphasis to the name. Commas for direct address i e the vocative case when addressing someone directly writers should separate the name being used e g john mary my darling you little rascal my son from rest of the sentence using a comma or commas. New oxford style manual suggests use commas to mark off a non defining or non restrictive word phrase or clause which comments on the main clause or supplies additional information about it nosm s example.

For example this is a common but incorrect comma usage. My boss jennifer smith just gave me a bonus. The person or thing being addressed is said to be in the vocative case. The rule is either have the commas both before and after a name or don t add it at all. Abraham lincoln was the 16th president of the united states.

I visited my hometown regina this weekend. But see exceptions below the reason is direct address we use commas to show that we are talking to the reader not about the reader. Look at the below sentence. Yes you need to use a comma between the person s name and the greeting. You only need to use a comma with the person s name if the phrase serves as a non restrictive modifier.

Because you re addressing a person directly there should be a comma between the greeting and the person s name. This is another common comma error but don t be fooled. We could however rewrite the sentence so that maria s name appears at the end of the sentence. This is because the sentence is talking about a particular person john. When an adverbial phrase begins a sentence it s often followed by a comma but it doesn t have to be especially if it s short.

As a rule of thumb if the phrase is longer than about four words use the comma. Use commas to separate coordinate adjectives. When you re describing something with two or more adjectives you can use a comma between them if those adjectives are coordinating. They re coordinating if you could place and between them you shouldn t put a comma after the final adjective.