commas Cross-Platform Journalism Use commas sparingly and avoid the - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

AP Stlye: The good parts

commas

Cross-Platform Journalism

Use commas sparingly and avoid the
 Oxford comma.

comma (,)

• I have a cat, a dog and a bird.

Use commas to separate a series, but do not put a comma before the conjunction in a simple series.

comma (,)

• Investigators believed the crime was committed by

Ray Romano and Michael Keaton, Tina Fey, or Carson Daly.

Put a concluding comma in a series, however, if an integral element of the series requires a conjunction: I had orange juice, toast, and ham and eggs for breakfast.

comma (,)

• The main points to consider are whether the

athletes are skillful enough to compete, whether they have the stamina to endure the training, and whether they have the proper mental attitude.

Use a comma also before the concluding conjunction in a complex series of phrases.

comma (,)

• The main points to consider are whether the

athletes have the necessary stamina, skills and attitude.

But while that’s a stylebook example, maybe you should just do this. Remember, simplicity is better than complexity.

comma (,)

• The prosecutor met with police at Pizza Ranch, and

then he drove to Keokuk.

When a conjunction such as and, but or for links two clauses that could stand alone as separate sentences, use a comma before before the conjunction in most cases.

comma (,)

• The prosecutor met with police at Pizza Ranch and

then drove to Keokuk.

As a rule of thumb, use a comma if the subject of each clause is expressly stated.

comma (,)

• “Donald Trump is shallow. Has no understanding of
• policy. He’s full of bluster but has no

substance,” Jindal said.

Use a comma instead of a period at the end of a quote that is followed by by attribution. Do not use a comma, however, if the quoted statement ends with a question mark or exclamation point.

comma (,)

• “Without seeing a murder weapon how can you

convict? How?” defense attorney Maya Klient-Didit asked.

Do not use a comma at the start of an indirect or partial quotation. Use a comma instead of a period at the end of a quote that is followed by by attribution. Do not use a comma, however, if the quoted statement ends with a question mark or exclamation point.

comma (,)

• Klient-Didit called the case “a non-serious

carnival act.”

Do not use a comma at the start of an indirect or partial quotation. Use a comma instead of a period at the end of a quote that is followed by by attribution. Do not use a comma, however, if the quoted statement ends with a question mark or exclamation point.