Commas in Sentence Parts
Commas in Sentence Parts
Commas with Introductory Elements
use comma after mild interjections or introductory words such as oh, yes, no, and well.
Yes, experts use tests to determine personality traits.
Use a comma after an introductory prepositional phrase that contains additional prepositional phrases.
From introvert to extrovert, every personality type has been classified.
Use a comma after an introductory adverb of adverbial clause.
Often, these assessments can help you match your career to your personality.
Although you may think you can’t be classified, your personality-test results can reveal plenty about you.
Use a comma after an introductory participial or infinitive or infinitive phrase.
Testing extensively, the experts have gathered data to back up their personality assessments.
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PARTICIPIAL PHRASE
To help people find the right job, counselors often administer one or more of these tests.
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INFINITIVE PHRASE
Commas with Interrupters
Use commas to set off nouns off direct address, nouns that name or speak directly to the reader.
Jeff, you should take the Myers- Briggs Type indicator.
Uses commas to set off a parenthetical expression, a word or phrase inserted into a sentence as commentary or to relate ideas within the sentence.
However, therefore, for example, by the way, and after all are examples of parenthetical expressions.
The Myers-Briggs Type indicator, by the way, is probably the most widely used personality test in the country. (PARENTHETICAL)
Can you Judge the accuracy of the test by the way you feel about the results? (NOT PARENTHETICAL)
Be sure to use a comma to separate a question tagged onto the end of a sentence from the sentence.
It’s fun to take these kinds of tests, don’t you think?
Commas with Nonessential Clauses and Phrases
Use commas to set off nonessential clauses and nonessential participial phrases.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, which was developed by Katharine Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers, designates16 distinct personality types. (NONESSENTIAL CLAUSE)
A test interpreter, judging responses to a number of questions, can suggest career paths that match the test subject’s personality type.
Use commas to set off a nonessential appositive. Commas aren’t necessary with essential appositives.
The Myers-Briggs Type indicator, the MBTI, is used by many career counselors. (NONESSENTIAL APPOSITIVE)
The book Do What You Are is based on the MBTI. (ESSENTIAL APPOSITIVE)
Commas with Compound Sentences
→Use a comma before the conjunction that joins the two independent clauses of a compound sentence.
Independent clause, and independent clause
Those who score high in the judgment category of the MBTI prefer to lead highly structured lives, but those who score high in the perception category prefer a more flexible lifestyle.
Make sure you’re punctuating a compound sentence, not a simple sentence with a compound predicate.
Twelve subjects took the test and showed a higher preference for extroversion than introversion.
Commas with Series or Lists
Use a comma after every item in a series except the last one.
A Myers- Briggs score high in introversion, intuition, thinking, and judging is typical of scientists.
Use a comma between two or more adjectives of equal rank that modify the same noun.
Personality assessment is a vital, interesting profession.
Do not use a comma if one adjective in a series modifies another.
The test subjects filed into the pale green examination room.
To tell if a series of adjectives requires a comma, place the word and between the adjectives. If the sentence still makes sense, replace and with a comma.