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No matter how many rules you know for commas, every one of those uses for the comma fits into one of two categories: 1. You are using a comma to separate two elements. You are using the comma to p...

When so means "so that" or "in order that" and implies the reason for doing something, it starts a dependent clause. That clause takes punctuation depending upon where it is in the sentence. When ...

If you followed the conversation on the previous blogs on the word so, you know that a conjunctive adverb needs a period of semicolon in front of it when it starts a new sentence. And that is the k...

There is a difference of opinion among the "authorities" -- Gregg, Morson, CMOS, et cetera -- regarding the nature of the word so. Some view it as a coordinate conjunction like and and or. Others v...

We all know that a comma goes before a coordinate conjunction -- and, but, or, nor -- when there is an independent subject and verb after the conjunction. ...I went with her, but I did not have th...

When that fourth-grade teacher told you not to start a sentence with and, s/he was referring to the fact that you stuck and in between every sentence. S/he clearly did not know you would grow up an...

Q What is the VIN? A J, as in "John"; -H, as in "Harry"; -4-D, as in "David"; -B, as in "boy"; -7-6-6-2-T, as in "Tom"; I believe it's an -S, as in "Sam"; -0-0-3-4-9-0. Semicolons because...

Okay is one of those words that peppers the speech patterns of many people. Here is the scoop on okay. If it comes at the beginning of a sentence, follow it with a period. It stands by itself and ...

Lots of people have the idea that a prepositional phrase at the beginning of a sentence needs a comma depending on how many words it has in it. (First, let's be clear that we are talking here abou...