Chicago Style Workout 2: Commas with Introductory Words and Phrases

/ February 23, 2016

Exercise with Gloria

Are you ready to work out?

This workout centers on paragraphs 6.33–35 and 6.36–38 (with a brief look at 6.57) in CMOS 18. Advanced editors might tackle the exercises cold; learners can study the related sections of the Manual before answering the questions.

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Remember: The workouts are all about Chicago! If you’re an expert in MLA, AP, or New York Times style, you might be surprised to find that your instincts don’t quite match Chicago’s. That doesn’t mean your answer is necessarily “wrong”—it just means it isn’t Chicago style.

Now updated to refer and link to the 18th edition.

Chicago Style Workout 2: Commas with Introductory Words and Phrases

1. An introductory participial phrase should be followed by a comma: Having forgotten his lines, the actor was forced to ad-lib.
2. A comma may be omitted after a short introductory adverbial phrase unless a misreading is likely: In 1931 Henrietta turned fifty.
3. No comma follows a vocative oh (Oh brother!) or O (O Death, where is thy sting?).
4. A comma usually follows an exclamatory oh or ah (Oh, you’re right!) unless it is followed by an exclamation mark or forms part of a phrase (oh boy; ah yes).
5. A comma is normally used to set off names or words used in direct address (Kai, your order is ready).
6. Yes, that’s my real hair.
7. Before eating, the members of the committee met in the assembly room.
8. Running along behind the wagon, was the archduke himself!
9. The siblings trailed after two sets, but on the strength of Serena’s serve, stormed back to win.
10. We were elated, but realizing that the day was almost over, we decided to go to bed.

 

Photo: Exercise with Gloria by Kevin Dooley, licensed under CC BY 2.0.

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