The Bishop's Rules on Commas

Are you confused about commas? One summer during the 1990's I was studying for a certificate in Business & Technical Writing at UD. We had to do some kind of grammar project using computer software that wasn't too common at the time. So I chose to research commas. After researching many grammar books about comma usage in the University of Delaware library, some of which dated back to the late 1800's, I saw firsthand how comma usage changes over time.

I even conducted a short survey asking students when they used commas in a paper. Some of them answered "I spread them throughout sentences like confetti," or "Whenever I read what I've written and I need to take a breath." Even today, you may find slight changes in the rules for using commas from textbook to textbook. However, after recording and condensing comma use from hundreds of books, I developed 7 rules for commas that will get you through almost every occasion!