I like eating friends and family.
I know you've probably seen that poster at least once in your life, yeah? It basically calls you out on your bullshit and tells you to get your life together, use a comma.
I like eating, friends, and family.
Simple little lesson for that part above. You have many verbs/nouns that need to be separated otherwise your verb is acting onto the nouns. You don't actually like eating your friends and family. However, without the comma, we don't know that.
NAMES/PET NAMES
Whenever you are writing and you choose to call out a person or character, you must add a comma after your clause and just before the name.
Ex: How are you doing, Gracie?
— How's it going, love?
It looks so much cleaner, it's the actual grammatically correct way of putting it, and overall it just flows. Another thing to go along with that, if you didn't use the comma before 'Gracie', you would legit be asking someone how they are doing Gracie, not her mood.
BEFORE AND
The only time a comma should be used before and, is when there is another subject or noun after it.
BEFORE OR
Sometimes, you will have to add a comma before or. This also is for separating your subjects. If you have two of the same, you won't have to separate it.
Ex: Would you like the ham and cheese or peanut butter and jelly?
Ex: Elena said we could go skydiving without parachutes one day, or we could just sit at home and binge watch Netflix.
BEFORE BUT
Always put a comma before but unless it is needed elsewhere.
Ex: We have to go soon but I'd like to stay home, where my happy place is.
Technically, it's not incorrect if you added the comma, but then you're just being a bit extra. ( As am I )
BEFORE/AFTER HOWEVER
When starting a sentence with however, you will need a comma after it, however if you were to use it how I did just then, you would have to add it before.
Commas are confusing little dudes, so no one is judging if you forget it in one place or accidentally overuse it. Make sure it flows and everything should come together well.
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𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐒, writing tips
RandomMy goal is not to offend anyone, but to help us all improve in what we enjoy doing so much ☼ [NOTE] ! Rare updates because I'm out of ideas! Request some things you want me to make a chapter about please!
