The Comma: Abused and Misused
written by Alice Jansing
Ah, the comma. Of all the punctuation marks in English, this one is perhaps the most abused and misused. And it’s no wonder. There are lots of rules about comma usage, and often the factors that determine whether you should use one are quite subtle. But fear not! In this book, you’ll find guidance for the trickiest comma questions.
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
8
Reads
385
Comma Between Two Verbs in a Compound Predicate
Chapter 4
You get a compound predicate when the subject of a sentence is doing more than one thing. In a compound predicate that contains two verbs, don’t separate them with a comma.
Incorrect: Cleo will sing, and play the banjo.
Correct: Cleo will sing and play the banjo.
This mistake is most common when the predicate is made up of long verb phrases.
Incorrect: I meant to buy tickets for Cleo’s show, but ran out of time.
Correct: I meant to buy tickets for Cleo’s show but ran out of time.
Don’t use a comma in compound predicates unless there is a chance of misreading:
Example: Cleo spotted the man who entered the diner, and waved.
In the sentence above, you need the comma to make clear that it was Cleo who waved, not the man.
Incorrect: Cleo will sing, and play the banjo.
Correct: Cleo will sing and play the banjo.
This mistake is most common when the predicate is made up of long verb phrases.
Incorrect: I meant to buy tickets for Cleo’s show, but ran out of time.
Correct: I meant to buy tickets for Cleo’s show but ran out of time.
Don’t use a comma in compound predicates unless there is a chance of misreading:
Example: Cleo spotted the man who entered the diner, and waved.
In the sentence above, you need the comma to make clear that it was Cleo who waved, not the man.
