Usage of commas before and after book title

Should commas be used around by and an authors name after a title. Do not use a comma for titles that appear before the persons name, such as the reverend joe smith or doctor mary richards. She was reading a book, a thousand splendid suns, which is quite a classic read. There are a few exceptions that require you to use the oxford comma in a list, but they are pretty rare.

Consider the below examples of sentences containing properly placed and omitted commas. Use commas after introductory a clauses, b phrases, or c words that come before the main clause. When quotation marks enclose the title of a work such as the title of a song that ends with a question mark or an exclamation point, insert a comma before the closing quotation mark if the title is followed by a nonrestrictive element that is, an element that needs to. Put one set of quotation marks around these titles to off set it properly.

In the following example, commas are used to set off the by phrase because the. The word became is important, so capitalize it unless you are doing library cataloging and entering the title into a database so then millionaire wont be capitalized. We use commas while combining multiple phrases in one sentence or writing. The last poem that poe ever wrote, annabel lee, was completed in 1849. The basic idea is that if the name in the above example, jessie is the only thing in the world described by the identifier my oldest friend, use a comma before the name and after it as well, unless youve come to the end of the sentence. When an introductory prepositional phrase is very short less than four words, the comma is usually optional. A lot of people have strong feelings about putting a comma before and in a list. There are more usages of a comma, for example, how adding or removing comma before and after a name changes the meaning of the sentence. Also place a comma before and after someones personal title. The comma after the name also tells us that the information after the name is essential to identify the person. As the word acts as a natural bridge between two parts of a clause or sentence, there is almost never a. If the title or descriptive phrase follows the personal name or the main phrase, use a comma before and after the phrase.

You set off information in a sentence when the modifier is nonessential, meaning if there is a specific enough noun that the info modifies, then you set off the phrase, clause, or word. While a comma after the title may be correct on rare occasions. My estate goes to my husband, son, daughterinlaw, and nephew. Sep 01, 2017 you can also use commas when a quotation is interrupted by a phrase like he said or she said. Sep 02, 2007 our rule 8 of commas says, use commas to set off the name, nickname, term of endearment, or title of a person directly addressed. When to use commas before quotations quick and dirty. The first thing to know is that there are generally only two correct options. For example, karan, your teacher, is a very nice person. If attribution comes before the quote, place the comma outside the quotations marks.

Perhaps we shouldnt give up on paper books just yet. Aug 18, 2015 the first thing to know is that there are generally only two correct options. The biggest mistake of this kind is putting a comma before the word and. After the meeting was over, the staff was exhausted. Our rule 8 of commas says, use commas to set off the name, nickname, term of endearment, or title of a person directly addressed. If you live in the united states, then the period will appear before the inverted commas. When the person and his title are written after one another, commas are used before and after the one written latter. David travels to sendai, the city nearest the epicenter of the quake, where he witnesses the. Do put a comma after the date, if you are using a date in the middle of a sentence we waited until october 27th, 2015, for the landlord to fix the roof. Commas before and in a series the blue book of grammar and. And wikipedia is hastening the process because its style is to treat periods and commas the same way we treat question marks and exclamation points. The correct way to use commas with names and titles.

The sentence is correct with or without the comma before and. Fiction and nonfiction books generally prefer the oxford comma. Commas are not necessary if only a year and month are given, but commas should be used to set off a year if the date, month and year are given. Newspapers and magazines do not generally use this rule as print space is too valuable to use on what might be considered extraneous punctuation. An article title, an article title an article title needs commas needs commas, needs commas posted on april 14, 2015 comments a little while back, a fellow editor asked me about commas and appositives, particularly with an eye to mentioning titles of books and such like. Should commas be used around by and an authors name after a. Some writers struggle with the question of when to put a comma before the word and. There are several types of introductory phrases, including prepositional phrases and appositive phrases.

Should there be a comma before the title, as in the book. Comma and its usage in english language and punctuation. Although using commas correctly may seem mysterious, it can be easy if you follow a few guidelines. Common starter words for introductory clauses that should be followed by a comma include after, although, as, because, if, since, when, while.

The sentence you want to write might go her book, snow country, was read by millions. My friend, jane has a lot more gardening experience than i do. I would like to order a salad, a sandwich, and dessert. The rule is either have the commas both before and after a name, or dont. Dont switch back and forth in the same document between using the oxford comma and not using it. It is the indispensable reference for writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, copywriters, designers, and publishers, informing the editorial canon with sound, definitive advice. The book title, book, is not parenthetical content in your sentence. Using commas correctly when writing essays whilst they can be very handy for breaking up long sentences, there are certain places in your writing where commas dont belong. Mar 04, 2020 use quotation marks for the titles of poems, short stories, and chapters in a book. Use commas before and after the name of a state or a.

If the title occupation follows the name, use commas around it. Your friend, allen, does not pay proper attention to her work. What follows are summaries of some of the most common style rules. Do you place a comma before a poems title in a sentence. Mar 27, 2018 in cases like this, do use the comma before and after the introductory word.

Do, however, use an apostrophe before figures expressing a decade if numerals are left out. He closed his novel the unnamable with a long sentence that ends. Apr 20, 2010 i as you know, commas are used to indicate that the words are not an essential part of the sentence and can be erased without harming the basic meaning of the sentence. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. Commas punctuation rules the blue book of grammar and. Although readers might pause after the word oneself, there is no reason to put a comma there. Tom cruises role in the movie jerry mcguire catapulted him to fame. We know which book youre describing without you naming it. Using commas incorrectly may confuse the reader, signal ignorance of writing rules, or indicate carelessness. Explain using commas to punctuate peoples titles say.

Remember, too, that titles may be more than one word. Therefore, if there are no commas between names and jr. Asked in grammar, sentence and word structure, example sentences. Lets start with the fact that unless a name or title is the last words in a sentence, it can either be used with no commas at all, or with a comma both before and after. Similarly, use a comma before and after the state when giving a location. Use quotation marks for the titles of poems, short stories, and chapters in a book. Should there be a comma before the title, as in the book titled how i. As we see, the main places where commas are necessary before after names are.

Should commas be used around by and an authors name after a title it depends. Note that by unnecessary, i dont mean that the noun set off with commas is irrelevant to the work the sentence. When starting a sentence with a dependent clause, use a comma after it. Do not use a comma if only the month and year are given. A persons title describes his or her job or education. Sometimes a comma is necessary after an introductory phrase. An article title, an article title an article title. In the following example, commas are used to set off the by phrase because the phrase is not integral to the meaning of the sentence. Commas before and in a series the blue book of grammar. If attribution comes after the quote, put the comma inside the quotation marks. In the second sentence, the comma before and after the name indicates we are talking about a specific scientist of akl university. Do also use commas before and after the use of etc.

Aug 01, 2009 in other words, if the information after the noun is vital, you dont set it off with commas. No commas, either before or after matilda and matilda would normally be underscored or italicised rather than enclosed in quotes. Use the letter s but not an apostrophe after the figures when expressing decades or centuries. Some that come to mind are life, the universe and everything.

Using commas before names or titles sallyhanans blog. A really long sentence may be perfectly correct without commas. You can also use commas when a quotation is interrupted by a phrase like he said or she said. In the following example, commas are used to set off the by phrase because the phrase is not integral to the meaning of the sentence life after life, by kate atkinson, won several book awards if you remove the phrase, the meaning is the same.

For example, if you were citing the poem one art by elizabeth bishop, it would appear as one art by elizabeth bishop. Its almost always optional to put a comma before and in a list. Do you use a comma after a book title in a sentence answers. Dec 29, 2017 whereas a comma is needed before and after the state in formulations such as new york, new york, when the city and state are used as the title of a work, no comma is needed following the name of the state, unless the grammar of the rest of the sentence requires it after watching the movie new york, new york, we went out to dinner. While getting ready for bed, susan heard a knock at the door. My favorite vacation spot is santa fe, new mexico, which offers activities for the whole family. Do put a comma after the day of the year when writing out the year. See the quotation in the accepted answer for a brief discussion of various titles, including book titles. Possible duplicate of comma before quote marks around article title. Exactly why this particular quirk of comma usage stirs such passions is hard to say.

Do you use a comma before a title of a book in a sentence. Most newspapers and magazines drop the oxford comma in a simple series, apparently. Quotes should not be used, only italics or underline for a book title. But if the phrase is longer than four words, use a comma.

The comma after said has to be replaced with a period. In other words, if the information after the noun is vital, you dont set it off with commas. Commas with names and titles, simplified the critical reader. According to the little, brown handbook fowler and. If nothing comes before the identification, dont use a comma. And if you just want to know the rule for everyday use, the shortcut is effective in the real world as well. Our rule a of commas says, use commas to introduce or interrupt direct quotations. Although you will often see a comma between a name and suffix bob downey, jr. The associated press stylebook provides an az guide to issues such as capitalization, abbreviation, punctuation, spelling, numerals and many other questions of language usage. Is the word always correct in suggesting either a comma before which or else using that. Using commas with titles, addresses, and dates use commas before and after the year when it is used with both the month and the day.

Harper lees demand to lose the comma from the book title go, set a watchman highlights the paucity of novels with the lowly punctuation mark john dugdale fri. One use for commas is to separate a persons name from his or her title. The attendees included john doe, jane doe, sam sunny jr. Question mark and comma midsentence the editors blog. Life after life, by kate atkinson, won several book awards. Jul 17, 2015 harper lees demand to lose the comma from the book title go, set a watchman highlights the paucity of novels with the lowly punctuation mark john dugdale fri 17 jul 2015 10. May 21, 2012 the basic idea is that if the name in the above example, jessie is the only thing in the world described by the identifier my oldest friend, use a comma before the name and after it as well, unless youve come to the end of the sentence.

If the title comes directly before the name and is used as a title, rather than as an occupation, use no comma to separate it from the person. It is incorrect to place only one comma before the name or title. The chicago manual of style online is the venerable, timetested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. My greatuncle was born february 3, 1922, in russia. While a comma after the title may be correct on rare occasions which dont concern us here, a comma only before a name or title is wrong. According to the little, brown handbook fowler and aaron, 12th ed, the rule is. If you are including the day of the week, do separate that from the rest of the date with a comma as well. Whereas a comma is needed before and after the state in formulations such as new york, new york, when the city and state are used as the title of a work, no comma is needed following the name of the state, unless the grammar of the rest of the sentence requires it after watching the movie new york, new york, we went out to dinner.

The correct way to use commas with names and titles we use commas while combining multiple phrases in one sentence or writing about different items in a list. Ap style also aims to avoid stereotypes and unintentionally offensive language. Should commas be used around by and an authors name after. When you are using a book title in a sentence you usually put quotation marks, around and commas before and after it but in elementary school you are taught underline all titles. You could remove the title from this sentence and readers would still understand it. You need commas here because this information is nonessential or parenthetical information. When the last comma in a series comes before and or or after daughterinlaw in the above example, it is known as the oxford comma. Brian lara, player for the west indies cricket team, is a great batsman. Use commas to set off the name, nickname, term of endearment, or title of a person directly. In american english usage, a comma should precede and with three or more items in a series.

Commas should sometimes be placed before and after names and titles. The only time you need commas in the question of titles and authors is if that information is in an introductory prepositional phrase or part of some other grammatical situation that requires commas such as in the scarlet letter by nathanial hawthorne, hester prynne suffers tremendously under the weight of her guilt and shame. Also do not include both a persons title, such as doctor, and. Those living in britain and australia will place it after.