The little symbol -- , -- in sentences usually means yield or pause. I am referring to the punctuation mark, the comma, when I say "yield" or "pause." About a million rules apply to commas, but there is one basic rule (several points to it, however) that can lead you to learn all the rest. Well, maybe a "million rules" is over exaggerating, but it seems that way, doesn’t it? I bet many of you have problems with where to place a comma. Correct?

Here's a list of related topics to get the basics of comma usage:

1. Know that there are only seven coordinating conjunctions: A mnemonic to remember these conjunctions is FAN BOYS, which stands for the following: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. So what does coordinating conjunctions have to do with comma usage?

2. Coordinating conjunctions separate two or more independent clauses (an independent clause is a fancy name for a complete sentence). For example, Mary was a teacher, and Sam was her student. Notice the comma in front of the coordinating conjunction in the example sentence.

3. All coordinating conjunctions take a comma in front of them if they are separating two or more independent clauses.

4. On the other hand, lots of words that are subordinating conjunctions can confuse writers. For example, "because" and "when" are subordinating conjunctions and take no comma in front of them. So let's not broach the topic of subordinating conjunctions and commas (there are numerous subordinating conjunctions, hence no mnemonic for them although that would be interesting if someone could think of one or maybe several).

Here's a few examples:

* Eighteen letters were submitted to the representative, but none reached the state official (two independent clauses separated by a coordinating conjunction).

* The letters didn't make it because the representative had a new address ("because the representative had a new address" is a subordinate clause led by a subordinating conjunction, so no comma is needed).

One more thing: The definition of a "mnemonic" is a tool to help you remember. More on commas in blogs to come.