Home | About | What is a VA? | Services | Rates | Testimonials | FAQ | Articles | Products | Contact
Weekly Grammar Tips

 

Subscribe to receive FREE grammar tips!
Delivered straight to your inbox every week!

Comma Confusion: Abbreviations
 

Thank you for joining me for the next installment in the Comma Confusion Series! In this issue, we'll be addressing a variety of comma-related topics.

It's no wonder commas are so confusing―there are an endless number of rules for using them. The following guidelines are based on those found in the tenth edition of The Gregg Reference Manual.¹
 


Commas with Jr. or Sr.

A comma is not needed to separate Jr., Sr., or roman numerals following a person's name unless the person in question prefers to use a comma.
 

Examples:
●   Raphael E. Urbino Jr.
●   Curtis M. Green Sr.
●   Cornell Barteldt III
 
Note:
When the person in question prefers to use a comma in his name, follow the style shown below:
 
●   Conrad Northcutt, Sr.
●   Conrad Northcutt, Sr., will be attending the banquet tonight.
●   Conrad Northcutt, Sr.'s successor begins work tomorrow.
    (no commas with possessives)

 
 

Commas with Inc. or Ltd.

A comma is not needed to separate Inc. or Ltd. following an organization's name unless the organization in question prefers to use a comma.
 

Examples:
●   Apple Inc.
●   Peterson & Sons Ltd.
 
Note:
When the organization in question prefers to use a comma in its name, follow the style shown below:
 
●   Genentech, Inc.
●   Genentech, Inc., just announced a new groundbreaking medication.
●   Genentech, Inc.'s corporate headquarters is located in San Francisco.
    (no commas with possessives)

 


Commas with Etc., etc.

When an expression such as etc. or and so on closes a series, use a comma before and after the expression (except at the end of a sentence).
 

Examples:
●   The sale on bread, cakes, pastries, etc., begins on Monday.
●   The company sells office furniture, equipment, supplies, and so on.

 

Additional Resources:

●  Would you like to receive the Weekly Grammar Tips newsletter in
    your email inbox? Enter your email address below to receive
    FREE Weekly Grammar Tips. Your email address is safe with me. 

     

●  Read past grammar tips in the Weekly Grammar Tips Archive. Be sure
    to add the archive page to your bookmarks or favorites folder for
    future reference.

●  Do you need a second set of eyes? Read more about my proofreading
    and editing services here.

Sources:
 

1. Sabin, William A. The Gregg Reference Manual. 10th edition.
         New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2005, pp. 37-40.

 

How can I help?
Do you have a hard time remembering those pesky rules for spelling and grammar when you're writing? Before sending out that important letter or proposal to a potential client, email it to me for proofreading and editing. Good first impressions can have a huge impact―unfortunately, so can bad first impressions! Read more...

Free Weekly Grammar Tips

Could you use a little grammar
advise―or is it advice? Enter your email address below to receive
FREE Weekly Grammar Tips: 

 

Your privacy is important. I will never sell or share your information with a third party. That's a promise!

Weekly Grammar Tips Archive
Can't wait for the next newsletter? Click here to read the Weekly Grammar Tips archive now!

What are others saying?

 

"As a writer and editor, I understand the impact of polished writing, and Angela definitely knows how to put the extra 'sheen' on any piece. As someone I contract work to regularly, Angela is consistent in her ability to retain the author's voice while doing more than just checking for typos. She knows all the rules and regs of good writing, but perhaps more importantly, she seeks to understand the message and then edits accordingly. Angela Smith is a consummate professional in everything she does, and I will continue to use her services and recommend her to my colleagues." Read more...

"I have used Angela's proofing and editing services for a number of my clients' projects. She has handled each project with meticulous attention to detail and provided thoughtful and intelligent editing suggestions that far exceeded my expectations. She is without a doubt the best proofreader-editor I have ever come across and would not hesitate to recommend her services to anyone." Read more...
 

"It's a joy to work with Angela―she's a professional in every sense of the word. Her work is outstanding, always better than it has to be and always delivered on time. Angela cares deeply about the service she provides and I'm thrilled to have her on my team." Read more...

 

"Angela, you are a genius! Knowing that you would go over my writing allowed me just to write instead of worrying about my grammar and punctuation. You saved me hours of rewriting—and then still not getting it right in the end. Thank you so much for your great work!" Read more...

Accu●Assist © 2006−2008
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

info@accu-assist.com