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Rule #20 Commas and Prepositional Phrases

 

Rule:Use a comma when a long prepositional phrase comes at the beginning of a sentence.

A prepositional phrase begins with a preposition. Prepositions are words such as in, on, after, and between.Words can be added to the preposition to make a phrase. When the phrase has four or more words, use a comma to separate it from the rest of the sentence.

       Example:     During a storm on a warm afternoon in July, we played in the rain.

Writing Tip: You don't have to use a comma if the prepositional phrase is fewer than four words.

                            During a storm we played in the rain.

Don't use a comma when the prepositional phrase comes at the end of a sentence.

     Example:         We played in the rain during a storm on a warm afternoon in July.

 

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