Elevating the Common Comma.

Commas are to writing what blooming flowers are to a spring walk. They give reason to pause, take a breath and see things in a new way, as opposed to rushing through a sentence.

I use plenty of commas sparingly. I've found that usage varies widely.

If you glance at a theme written by a high school student who follows all the rules, the number of commas sprinkled among the words might resemble teenage breakouts. Result? Many unneeded, but technically needed, commas. By ''unneeded,'' I mean unneeded for clarity's sake.

On the other hand, if you pick up some best-selling non-fiction and some fiction, you would think editors were under strict orders to use as few commas as possible. (They may be.)

Let's review some of the rules:

1. Use commas when listing a series of things. This is called ''a serial comma,'' which is different from a serial killer, for example, the unforgettable Hannibal Lecter played by Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs.

We place serial commas between a series of things, for example, ''I like A, B, and C.'' Or: ''We covered X, Y, and Z.'' Notice how I used a comma between the next-to-the-last item and the conjunction ''and.'' The rule calls for that comma. The AP Style Guide and other style guides recommend dropping the final comma in order to save space, as long as the meaning is clear. I think some people are uncertain whether to put in or leave out that final comma. My opinion: unless you're writing a document that has to pass muster with the AP Style Guide or a similar style guide, leave it in.

A few years ago, when I last covered this subject, someone wrote in to say that a single comma was the deciding factor in an inheritance worth a great deal of money. The will dropped the final comma when listing those who would receive inheritances from the estate. It said proceeds of the estate would go to ''person A, B and C.'' Because there was no comma between person B and the word ''and,'' the judge gave 50 percent of the estate to person A and split the other 50 percent evenly between person B and person C. In that case, person B and person C could appeal to a higher court, pleading, ''a kingdom for a comma.''

If the items in a series are complicated, never omit the last comma. For example:

The issues in the campaign are the value of the dollar, the rule of law, the failure of foreign policy, and the separation of church and state.

2. Use a comma after introductory clauses and phrases. Some people say you only need a comma if the introductory phrase is more than five words. I've heard various numbers. However, as I understand it, the rule is clear. Use a comma no matter how short or long the introductory clause. However, in the case of short introductory clauses or phrases, I think using a comma is unnecessary. For example:

Founded in 1898, the company now has assets of...

In my view use of that comma is not necessary, although most people will use it, particularly in business writing, and the rule says you should use it. Likewise, the following example:

With a full heart, I sit down to write this letter.

I say the commas in the two above examples are unnecessary because most people know those words to be introductory clauses.

With the ''full heart'' sentence above, I would rearrange it to read in ''normal order:''

I sit down to write this letter with a full heart.

When written that way, no comma is necessary, and it sounds better.

Following is the use of a comma after a short introductory clause that I think is necessary:

In the middle of the movie, he got up and passed right in front of me.

The comma makes it easier to read. Without the comma, I would have to do some thinking to understand the sentence. Not much, mind you, but some.

Note: In a high percentage of cases, a sentence with an introductory clause can be better written by placing the introductory clause after the main clause, thereby rendering the comma unnecessary. However, sometimes we purposely want an introductory clause for emphasis. That is what I did in the sentence just above that begins, ''In a high percentage of cases...''

3. Use commas between two sentences. When we join two sentences together with a comma and a conjunction, we call them clauses. So, technically, the rule reads: Use commas between two clauses. Example:

I wanted to walk the dog, but thunderstorms were predicted.

4. Never separate the subject of a sentence from a verb:

Examples:
The soldiers and the sailors, went for R&R. Never do that.

My friend, brother and sister, stayed away. Never do that.

5. Use a comma after an introductory phrase and before a quote:

According to the chief financial officer, ''We took a charge against first-quarter earnings due to supply disruptions.''

6. Set off explanatory phrases, called ''appositives,'' in commas:

The magician, also called a conjurer, works with sleight of hand.
The mountain climber, inspired by climbs of people who went before him, plans his next ascent next year.
Mark Twain, the once millionaire, was born with the name Samuel Langhorne Clemens.

Here is something interesting I learned about commas:

Have you ever seen slashes used to separate lines of song lyrics? For example:

You are my sunshine/
My only sunshine

Back in the Middle Ages, slashes began to be used in English to make it easier for people to read sentences, to tell readers where to pause, and where to breathe when singing.

Commas are the modern-day vestiges of those slashes.

So, this month, every once in a while, look down and smell the common commas. Elevate them to higher place in your estimation. Pick some and sprinkle them on someone you love.