Unnecessary Commas
Unnecessary commas create confusion for the reader. Commas should not be used unless they follow a specific rule.
See
Pause for breath and pauses for a change in the flow of thought
Most people automatically put a commas in a place within a sentence where a speaker would naturally pause. That would be right 90% of the time. The problem is, it would be wrong 10% of the time. A comma signals a change in the flow of thought within a sentence. However, sometimes we pause for breath. It is correct to put commas in a sentence only where the flow of thought would change. It is not correct to put a comma in a sentence where the pause is only for a breath of air. See the sentence below:
Men who try to lead a double life always come to grief in the end.
In that sentence there is a pause after " life, " but it would be incorrect to put a comma there because the words, " who lead a double life " are necessary to identify which men. There is no comma after " men " and no comma after " life. "
Commas between sentence elements
Commas should not go between main sentence elements that naturally go together. Do not put commas between subject and verb or between verb and object. (See more about sentence elements under Sentence Structure.)
Most people do not get enough chocolate in their diet.
Men who trifle with ladies' affections will find that fate will have its revenge.
Professor Mongoose lost all his hope for happiness in only a few days.
(There are no commas in any of these sentences.)
Commas with coordinating conjunctions
Do not put a comma between words or groups of words joined by a conjunction like " and" or " but," except in a compound sentence. (See sentence types.)
He did not know whether to try to explain all this to his girl friend or to join a monastery.
He couldn't join the Foreign Legion because he was too old and overweight.
(There are no commas in any of these sentences)
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