Is Comma Misuse Within Clauses Really That Bad?
There are some people today that think writing is getting worse and put the blame squarely on text messaging and social media use. If you used a comma usage checker online on most people’s messages and tweets you would find all sorts of issues as people simply do not follow our regular writing rules in these mediums. However, using a sentence comma checker is something that you must still do with your regular writing. Your bank is not going to be impressed if you submit a business plan that reads more like a Facebook post and your teacher is not going to award you with good grades if your essay reads more like a text message to your mates!
Formal writing should not follow the social rules that you use within your text messaging and this is why using an effective correct comma usage checker is so important. You do not want your “bad habits” from texting slipping into your writing so having a quick way of checking your work is very important.
Peculiarities of Punctuation in Text Messaging
While there are some possible benefits of text messaging and other social media communication the effect that it is having on our ability to correctly punctuate and spell is horrendous. Texting and tweeting our thoughts does encourage us to write concisely and encourages creativity in our writing. However, we rarely follow the generally accepted rules that we have for grammar and punctuation.
Something as simple as the full stop or period can take on a whole new meaning when used within a text message. Often if you use it you are showing what appears to be negativity, especially with any one-word answer through the text. On the whole, periods are avoided with a lot of the writing of texts.
Commas are also something that is generally avoided by most of those sending texts. Most of the time they would rather use ellipses rather than using commas as these are seen as “geriatric.”
Many will also use question marks and exclamation points as multiples as these add the extra tone that is missing in this nonverbal communication medium. They may even mix the two together for extra emphasis on what they are trying to say.
Is the Incorrect Use of Punctuation in Texting Really That Critical?
From emoji’s to highly abbreviated words there are many things that are used online and in our text messaging that are simply considered as unacceptable in our “normal” writing. Within texts, however, they rarely matter as long as you are following the conventions used by your peers. The problem comes however when these conventions start to appear in your other writing. So many students and even more mature writers need to take greater care with their writing to stop these new habits slipping through.
How Texting Habits Influence Students Ability to Punctuate
Many students forget how to know when to use a comma within their writing simply because they are more used to their texting rules. This is why using a comma usage check can be so important as well as checking for grammar and other punctuation issues. Formal grammatical and punctuation rules must still be observed within our academic and other writing.
20 Comma Placement Rules Every Student Must Know
Many students ask when should I use a comma? Understanding when do you use a comma in a sentence is very important if your writing is to be understood. Missing or misplaced commas can have a significant impact on the understanding of your writing so it is important that you get it right. The following are some of the times when you should be using a comma:
- There should be a comma before any coordinating conjunction that joins two independent clauses in a sentence.
- If the sentence starts with a dependent clause it should be followed with a comma.
- You should use commas on either side of an appositive phrase.
- Commas are used to separate all of the items within a list or series.
- A comma should follow any introductory adverb.
- Use a comma when you attribute a quote.
- Use commas when separating each part of an address.
- Use commas when showing the elements of a full date: day, month, year.
- If you start the sentence with a yes or no follow it with a comma.
- If you address someone directly within a sentence, use a comma after the name.
- If you have two adjectives that will modify the noun separate them with a comma.
- If you have a negation phrase have a comma either side of it in the sentence.
- Use commas when writing 1,000s, 1,000,000s and so forth.
- Do not use commas to separate subjects from their verbs.
- Do not use a comma between two nouns if they are a compound subject.
- Do not separate two verbs if the subject will do both together.
- Do not use a comma to separate two independent clauses (comma splice.)
- Place a comma after any introductory phrase.
- Never use a comma prior to “than” when making a comparison.
- Place commas around interrupters placed within your sentence.
Why Should Everyone Check Punctuation for Free Online Using Our Tool?
Whether fixing the punctuation in compound sentences or any other issue with your writing our professional tool offers you the functionality that you need to get your writing spot on. Most people simply do not have the time or the skills to get their writing checked effectively. Our tool can effectively check your writing in just a few minutes of your time to highlight and correct all forms of punctuation and grammatical errors in your writing. With regular use, you will be able to improve your writing as well as getting much better results.
How Can You Use Our Comma Usage Checker Online?
Our professional and effective free comma placement checker is easy to use on all forms of writing. Simply follow the process that is outlined here to get your work checked:
- Paste all of the writing that you want to review into the space provided in the tool and click to begin the process.
- The tool quickly reviews the text against many hundreds of different rules and will highlight any issues within just seconds.
- Work through the highlighted issues within your text and implement the suggested changes to fix your writing.
- Paste the corrected version of your writing back into the original document.
