COMMAS
with
Dates, Addresses,
and Series
Copyright  2015 by Sharon Serrago, Inc.
Page 350
Commas with Dates
Rule: Use commas to separate the parts of a date.
Examples: On Sunday, January 13, 2014, we went to our aunt’s house.
His birthday is September 15, 1985.
September 15, 1985, is his birthday.
Notice that all parts of the date are separated and that a comma follows the year.
The comma is not needed when only the month and year are given. However, it is not incorrect if you
should decide to use it.
Examples:
The best time of her life was in May 2014.
May, 2014 was a very important time in her life.
Let’s Practice – Using Commas with Dates
Place commas in the following sentences where they are needed.
1.
On November 15 2010 my sister graduated from high school.
2.
My sister was born on August 31 1940 in Texas.
3.
W are scheduling the conference for June 2016.
4.
January 2015 was one of the most memorable times of her life.
5.
They have been traveling since February 2 2004.
6.
The town celebrated its bicentennial on March 13 2013.
7.
On Friday December 24 2016 Kathryn will be leaving for Nebraska.
8.
She is looking forward to April 2015 when she will graduate from nursing school.
9.
Isn’t his birthday on Monday November 26 2014?
10.
February seems to be the coldest month in Texas.
Copyright  2015 by Sharon Serrago, Inc.
Page 351
Commas with Addresses
Rule:
Use commas to separate items in addresses.
A comma will go after the state if it is not followed by the zip code.
No comma is used to separate the state from the zip code.
Examples: He lives at 2331 Meadow Lane, Farmersville, Texas 78235.
Commas will separate the house address (2331 Meadow Lane) from other parts of the
address. There are no commas separating the house number from the house.
We went to 34 Long St., Dallas, Texas, for the celebration.
Use a comma after the state if there is no zip code.
We went to 34 Long St., Dallas, Texas 75234, for the celebration.
Let’s Practice – Using Commas with Addresses
Place commas where they are needed in the following sentences.
1.
Our group decided to hold the next class reunion in Dalrock Alabama.
2.
We will meet on Monday at 33 Frankford Dallas Texas for lunch.
3.
Our house at 2544 West First St. Carlton Nebraska was sold last month.
4.
We will be moving to Akron Ohio very soon.
5.
My favorite Pizza place is located at 2437 Arapaho Concord New Hampshire.
6.
5667 Busy Lane Richmond New Jersey 89700 is my new address.
7.
My hometown of Fort Stockton Texas will be featured in that magazine.
8.
You will find the repair shop on Tennessee Street Fort Smith Arkansas 56497.
9.
The parade traveled down Main Street and ended at 1400 Franklin Drive Odessa Texas.
10.
You can mail the package to me at 2599 Eisenhower Dr. Nobel California 75893.
Copyright  2015 by Sharon Serrago, Inc.
Page 352
Commas with Series
Words, phrases, or clauses in a series are separated by commas.
Example: My favorite colors are red, white, and blue. (words)
We went to the store, to the movie, and to the ball game. (phrases)
I am wondering how he will fix the hose, how he will mow the lawn, and how he
will prepare the food all before the guests arrive. (clauses)
If the word and is used throughout the series, then the commas are omitted. They actually replace the
commas.
Example: My favorite colors are red and white and blue.
We went to the store and to the movie and to the ball game.
The question always arises about putting a comma between the last two elements of the series, which
would be before the word and. Newspapers usually omit the final comma, but common practice is to
include it. That way you won’t get confused. It will never be wrong to put it in, so let’s make the rule
easy and say that all items in a series must be separated by a comma … including the last two items.
There may be a time that a sentence can become extremely confusing, and your placement of commas
will be the only thing to clarify the meaning of the sentence.
Example: My granddad liked to eat carrots, squash, rice and beans.
Was the rice and beans mixed together to form one dish, or was the rice separate from the beans?
Correction: My granddad liked to eat carrots, squash, and rice and beans.
Let’s Practice – Using Commas in a Series
Place commas where they are needed in the following sentences.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
His office is bright clean and pleasant.
The dog ran up the stairs across the porch and into the house.
The campers ate beans potatoes and corn.
We went to his house we knocked on the door but no one answered.
Before he goes to work every day, Patrick makes his bed fixes breakfast and washes the
dishes.
Copyright  2015 by Sharon Serrago, Inc.
Page 353
There is another aspect of commas with series that you must know. It involves the use of adjectives.
Rule: The comma is omitted before an adjective which is thought of as part of a noun.
Example: She has a large, beautiful dining room. Dining room is considered one thing.
Therefore, we would not put commas between beautiful and dining. There is an easy way to determine
when to put commas between adjectives. If you can insert the word and between each of the
adjectives, you can use a comma.
Example: She has a large and beautiful and dining room.
Clearly, the and between beautiful and dining is faulty. Correction: She has a large and beautiful
dining room.
Just be sure you don’t try to put both the comma and the and together. Use one or the other.
Continue the exercise putting commas where they are needed. Some sentence will not need commas.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
We went to the post office to buy several postage stamps.
She destroyed the taste of the tuna when she put such a large amount of salad dressing in it.
That is the most spectacular beautiful oil painting I have ever seen.
Harry won the award because he is such an honest ambitious young man.
When he saw the girl, he was enamored by her big beautiful blue eyes.
Copyright  2015 by Sharon Serrago, Inc.
Page 354
Test Taking Practice
Label each sentence as correct (C) or incorrect (I).
If the sentence is incorrect, place the commas where they are needed in the
sentence. Approach each question methodically. Look specifically for the
misuse of commas with dates, addresses, and series.
_______1.
On Monday, January 1 we will arrive in Tucson, Arizona, for the celebration.
_______2.
The house at 1314 West Bank, Montfort, Florida burned on Saturday, May 15, 2012.
_______3.
My party will be held on June 3 at 445 Kelly Lane to celebrate my graduation.
_______4.
Last Monday, May 5 we went to the market, to the movies, and to the restaurant.
_______5.
The smart eager student received his award on Friday, June 7, in Dallas, Texas.
_______6.
On Friday, April 25, 2013 we were met by such kind, patient, and considerate people.
_______7.
Raul’s graduation was held in Mission, Texas last Saturday, May 30, 2014.
_______8.
His favorite colors are purple, white, and yellow.
_______9.
Their dispute began in January, continued through March, and finally ended in May
2014.
_______10. We have been looking forward to this event since January 2010.
Copyright  2015 by Sharon Serrago, Inc.
Page 355
Passage Based Testing
The passage below contains underlined sections for you to consider editing
and revising. Choose the answer choice that best completes the sentence
according to conventional grammar standards. Look specifically for errors
with commas in dates, addresses, and series.
On ❶January 6 2004, Raphael entered college for the first time
full of trepidation. Getting registered in 2014 was much
different from registering in 1962. Students ❷in 2014 can
register for classes through the internet. They don’t have to
leave home, find the campus
❸
registration site, or wait in long
1. A)
B)
C)
NO CHANGE
January 6, 2004
January 6, 2004,
2. A)
B)
C)
NO CHANGE
in 2004,
in, 2004
3. A)
B)
C)
NO CHANGE
registration site or
registration site or,
4. A)
B)
C)
NO CHANGE
on January 6, 2004,
on January 6 2004
5. A)
B)
C)
NO CHANGE
January 15, 2004,
January 15 2004,
6. A)
B)
C)
NO CHANGE
235, Avenue K, Tantamount, AL.
235 Avenue K, Tantamount AL.
7. A)
B)
C)
NO CHANGE
dozens of u-turns and,
dozens of u-turns, and,
8. A)
B)
C)
NO CHANGE
lines only to find that the classes they wanted have been closed.
Registering for classes ❹on January 6, 2004 was a breeze.
Of course, everything else was not so easy. When he arrived at
his dormitory on ❺January 15, 2004 he was all prepared to
move into his dorm room. To his surprise, he found a note on
the door directing him to another location for a few days until
the room could be repaired. The note, which seemed credulous
enough, directed him to ❻235 Avenue K, Tantamount, AL.
Trying to locate the address was a nightmare! He drove up and
down streets, made ❼dozens of u-turns, and finally asked a
pedestrian for directions. To exacerbate the situation, the man
spoke only Spanish, which was no help to Raphael. In
desperation, Raphael drove back to the dorm to speak to his hall
monitor. When he got to his room, there was no sign on the
door. In fact, it sat ajar, waiting for him to peek inside.
Suddenly a volatile “Surprise” filled the halls. Friends and new,
gregarious neighbors welcomed him to his new room, laughed
at
❽
their little joke and, laid out a feast for the “new man on the
hall.”
Copyright  2015 by Sharon Serrago, Inc.
their little joke and,
their little joke, and
Page 356
College Readiness Vocabulary
Definitions
1. aesthetic (uhs THEH tic)
Definition: relating or pertaining to a sense of beauty or art
Synonyms: artful, artistic, inventive
Derivatives: aesthete, aesthetical, aesthetically, aesthetician, aestheticism, aesthetics
He has a fine aesthetic sense and always knows which colors to use in his paintings.
2. credulous (KREJ uh lus)
Definition: believing on slight evidence, gullible
Synonyms: naïve, unsuspecting, unwary
Derivatives: credulously, credulousness, credulity
The commercial says this herb can raise my IQ, but I'm not credulous enough to believe that.
3. euphemism (YOO fuh miz um)
Definition: substitution of an inoffensive term for one that is offensive
Synonyms: circumlocution, delicacy, pretense
Derivatives: euphemistic, euphemious, euphemiously, euphemistically, euphemize, euphemizer
"Passed away," "passed on," and "gone to a better place" are all euphemisms for "died."
4. exacerbate (ig ZAS ur bate)
Definition: to aggravate, to irritate, to vex
Synonyms: annoy, exasperate, infuriate, provoke
Derivatives: exacerbatingly, exacerbation
I tried to make peace, but I exacerbated their fight, and now they're angrier than ever!
5. extol (ik STOLE)
Definition: to praise, to glorify
Synonyms: acclaim, commend, laud,
Derivatives: extolled, extolling, extollingly, extollment, extoller
Commercials extol the quality of expensive products so that we'll buy them.
6. gregarious (greh GAR ee us)
Definition: sociable and outgoing
Synonyms: affable, convivial, cordial
Derivatives: gregariously, gregariousness
The gregarious cheerleader was never seen without a crowd of friends around her.
7. incorrigible (in KOR eh juh bul)
Definition: incapable of being reformed or improved
Synonyms: incurable, intractable, irredeemable
Derivatives: incorrigibility, incorrigibleness, incorrigibly
Threats, bribes, and punishment all failed to change the child's wicked behavior: she was incorrigible.
8. inextricable (in EKS truh kuh bul)
Definition: not able to be disentangled
Synonyms: inseparable
Derivatives: inextricability, inextricableness, inextricably
The many strings of ornamental lights soon became an inextricable mess.
9. melancholy (MEL un kol ee)
Definition: depression of spirits
Synonyms: blue, despondent, disconsolate, gloomy, pensive, woebegone
Derivatives: melancholia, melancholic, melancholiac, melancholically, melancholily, melancholiness
After I saw that sad movie, the feeling of melancholy stayed with me for days.
10. petulance (PECH uh luns)
Definition: unreasonable touchiness or irritability
Synonyms: bitterness, cynicism, ill-humor
Derivatives: petulant, petulancy, petulantly
When she stamps her foot and pouts, I just leave the room to get away from her petulance.
Copyright  2015 by Sharon Serrago, Inc.
Page 357
College Readiness Vocabulary
Definitions
11. pompous (POM pus)
Definition: exaggerated show of self-importance; ostentatious
Synonyms: affected, bombastic, flaunting, imperious, narcissistic, pretentious, showy, vainglorious
Derivatives:
The pompous attitude of the man in the parade was laughable; he looked like he thought he was the king.
12. precocious (preh KOE shus)
Definition: exceptionally early in development or occurrence
Synonyms: advanced, bright, intelligent, mature
Derivatives: precociousness, precosity, precociously
Mozart, who was already writing music at age four, was amazingly precocious.
13. prologue (PRO log)
Definition: introductory remarks in a speech, play or literary work, introductory action
Synonyms: beginning, exordium, foreword, overture, preface, preamble, prelude
Derivatives: prologist, prologize
The prologue may help you understand the book better when you continue to the first chapter.
14. rancor (RANG kur)
Definition: bitter deep-seated ill will, enmity
Synonyms: acerbity, acrimony, antipathy, malevolence, spite, umbrage, virulence
Derivatives: animosity, animus, antagonism, antipathy, hostility
Until he wrote that hateful letter, we had no idea how deep his rancor ran.
15. repudiate (reh PYOO dee ate)
Definition: to reject, to disown, to disavow
Synonyms: abandon, abjure, demur, desert, forsake, recant, rescind, retract
Derivatives: repudiation, repudiationist, repudiator
The man was anxious to repudiate the vicious lies that had been told about his family!
16. symmetry (SIM eh tree)
Definition: balanced proportions
Synonyms: centrality, equality, equilibrium, equipoise, proportionality
Derivatives: symmetrical, symmetric, symmetrically, symmetricalness, symmetrization, symmetrize
The architecture showed a lovely symmetry: the left half of the building exactly mirrored the right.
17. trepidation (trep eh DAY shun)
Definition: fear, trembling, agitation
Synonyms: apprehension, consternation, disquiet, palpitation, perturbation
Derivatives: trepidate, trepidant, trepid, trepidly, trepidity
The lowly slave approached the queen with trepidation, terrified that he would be punished or sent away.
18. trivia (TRIV ee uh)
Definition: insignificant matters
Synonyms: details, minutiae, trifles
Derivatives: trivial, triviality, trivialization, trivialize, trivally
When you're studying, try not to be distracted by trivia like personal phone calls or unsharpened pencils.
19. virulent (VIR yuh lunt)
Definition: extremely poisonous; hateful
Synonyms: baneful, destructive, injurious, pernicious, toxic, venomous
Derivatives: virulence, virulently
Pepper spray is a virulent substance that can cause coughing, wheezing, and temporary blindness.
20. volatile (VOL uh til)
Definition: quickly changeable, easily vaporized
Synonyms: capricious, effervescent, erratic, fickle, flippant, inconsistent, mercurial
Derivatives: volatileness, volatility, volatilization, volatilizable, volatize
His volatile temper leads to sudden blowups.
Copyright  2015 by Sharon Serrago, Inc.
Page 358
College Readiness Vocabulary
Matching Test
Directions: Match the vocabulary word to its definition.
Practice 1
_____________1.
aesthetic
a.
to praise, to glorify
_____________2.
credulous
b.
believing on slight evidence, gullible
_____________3.
euphemism
c.
sociable and outgoing
_____________4.
exacerbate
d.
to aggravate, to irritate, to vex
_____________5.
extol
e.
relating or pertaining to a sense of beauty or art
_____________6.
gregarious
f.
unreasonable touchiness or irritability
_____________7.
incorrigible
g.
not able to be disentangled
_____________8.
inextricable
h.
depression of spirits
_____________9.
melancholy
i.
incapable of being reformed or improved
j.
substitution of an inoffensive term for one that is
_____________10. petulance
offensive
Practice 2
_____________11. pompous
k.
introductory remarks in a play or literary work
_____________12. precocious
l.
insignificant matters
_____________13. prologue
m.
to reject, to disown, to disavow
_____________14. rancor
n.
extremely poisonous; hateful
_____________15. repudiate
o.
ostentatious, pretentious, show of self-importance
_____________16. symmetry
p.
bitter deep-seated ill will, enmity
_____________17. trepidation
q.
balanced proportions
_____________18. trivia
r.
quickly changeable, easily vaporized
_____________19. virulent
s.
fear, trembling, agitation
_____________20. volatile
t.
exceptionally early in development or occurrence
Copyright  2015 by Sharon Serrago, Inc.
Page 359
College Readiness Vocabulary
Multiple Choice Test
Directions: Find the correct vocabulary word that fits the definition.
_____________1.
believing on slight evidence, gullible
a. volatile
_____________2.
b.
b.
credulous
rancor
c.
melancholy
d.
pompous
e.
trivia
exacerbate
c.
repudiate
d.
virulent
e.
credulous
b.
repudiate
c.
euphemism
d.
exacerbate
e.
extol
petulance
c.
incorrigible
d.
rancor
e.
trepidation
b.
petulance
c.
trivia
d.
virulent
e.
prologue
c.
gregarious
d.
euphemism
e.
credulous
extremely poisonous; hateful
b.
precocious
relating or pertaining to a sense of beauty or art
a. pompous
_____________9.
e.
unreasonable touchiness or irritability
a. virulent
_____________8.
b.
b.
a. inextricable
_____________7.
precocious
fear, trembling, agitation
a. volatile
_____________6.
d.
to aggravate, to irritate, to vex
a. incorrigible
_____________5.
trepidation
to reject, to disown, to disavow
a. incorrigible
_____________4.
c.
bitter deep-seated ill will, enmity
a. symmetry
_____________3.
gregarious
b.
prologue
c.
melancholy
d.
aesthetic
e.
petulance
trepidation
c.
credulous
d.
repudiate
e.
exacerbate
to praise, to glorify
a. extol
b.
_____________10. exceptionally early in development or occurrence
a. virulent
_____________11.
b.
b.
b.
gregarious
e.
inextricable
pompous
c.
inextricable
d.
volatile
e.
virulent
pompous
c.
trepidation
d.
euphemism
e.
rancor
b.
credulous
c.
virulent
d.
aesthetic
e.
precocious
euphemism
c.
petulance
d.
trivia
e.
prologue
c.
inextricable
d.
gregarious
e.
credulous
insignificant matters
a. trepidation
_____________15.
d.
incapable of being reformed or improved
a. incorrigible
_____________14.
precocious
exaggerated show of dignity or self-importance, bombastic, ostentatious, pretentious
a. symmetry
_____________13.
c.
quickly changeable, easily vaporized
a. aesthetic
_____________12.
symmetry
b.
not able to be disentangled
a. virulent
b.
precocious
Copyright  2015 by Sharon Serrago, Inc.
Page 360
College Readiness Vocabulary
Sentence Completion Test
Directions: Find the correct word from the box below to complete the sentences that follow.
aesthetic
gregarious
Exercise A
credulous
incorrigible
euphemism
inextricable
exacerbate
melancholy
extol
petulance
________________ 1.
Good salesmen are usually _____, outgoing people who love to be around others.
________________ 2.
His notorious _____ makes his employees fear his crankiness.
________________ 3.
The criminal could not escape from the _____ web of lies he had wrapped around himself.
________________ 4.
My little brother is so _____ that he'd believe just about anything I told him.
________________ 5.
Her tastefully decorated apartment revealed her advanced _____ talents.
________________ 6.
It's useless and impossible to reform a truly _____ thief.
________________ 7.
All my friends _____ the glories of skydiving and the excitement it provides.
________________ 8.
Instead of saying the child failed the course, we like to use the kinder _____, "delayed success."
________________ 9.
When the team lost the championship, _____ settled over us like a dark cloud of misery.
________________ 10.
If you pick at your scab, it will _____ the wound and make it worse.
pompous
symmetry
Exercise B
precocious
trepidation
prologue
trivia
rancor
virulent
repudiated
volatile
________________ 11.
The roots of the oleander bush exude a _____ poison that can kill a small animal.
________________ 12.
She was terrified of rejection, but she overcame her _____ and dropped the application into the
mailbox.
________________ 13.
Sometimes the school encourages a _____ child to skip a grade if he is ahead of his class.
________________ 14.
If you cut an apple down the middle, the two halves will show a _____.
________________ 15.
Gasoline is a _____ substance that can ignite in an instant.
________________ 16.
Because the bitter man was filled with such _________, he often contemplated revenge.
________________ 17.
Her ______ language, coupled with her ostentatious dress, is a clear indication of her egotism.
________________ 18.
Do not bore me with worthless _____ ; I cannot stand to listen to such insignificant chatter.
________________ 19.
He _________ the false claims of his criminal activity, swearing that he had never broken the
law.
________________ 20.
The _____ of the play gives important information about the characters and what the audience
can expect.
Copyright  2015 by Sharon Serrago, Inc.
Page 361
Answers for Commas with
Dates, Addresses, and Series
Let’s Practice – Using Commas with Dates
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
On November, 15, 2010, my sister graduated from high school.
My sister was born on August 31, 1940, in Texas.
We are scheduling the conference for June 2016.
January 2015 was one of the most memorable times of her life.
They have been traveling since February 2, 2004.
The town celebrated its bicentennial on March 13, 2013.
On Friday, December 24, 2016, Kathryn will be leaving for Nebraska.
She is looking forward to April 2015 when she will graduate from nursing school.
Isn’t his birthday on Monday, November 26, 2014?
February seems to be the coldest month in Texas.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Let’s Practice – Using Commas with Addresses
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Our group decided to hold the next class reunion in Dalrock, Alabama.
We will meet on Monday at 33 Frankford, Dallas, Texas, for lunch.
Our house at 2544 West First St., Carlton, Nebraska, was sold last month.
We will be moving to Akron, Ohio, very soon.
My favorite Pizza place is located at 2437 Arapaho, Concord, New Hampshire.
5667 Busy Lane, Richmond, New Jersey 89700, is my new address.
My hometown of Fort Stockton, Texas, will be featured in that magazine.
You will find the repair shop on Tennessee Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 56497.
The parade traveled down Main Street and ended at 1400 Franklin Drive, Odessa, Texas.
You can mail the package to me at 2599 Eisenhower Dr., Nobel, California 75893.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Let’s Practice – Using Commas in a Series
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
His office is bright, clean, and pleasant.
The dog ran up the stairs, across the porch, and into the house.
The campers ate beans, potatoes, and corn.
We went to his house, we knocked on the door, but no one answered.
Before he goes to work every day, Patrick makes his bed, fixes breakfast, and washes the dishes.
We went to the post office to buy several postage stamps.
She destroyed the taste of the tuna when she put such a large amount of salad dressing in it.
That is the most spectacular, beautiful oil painting I have ever seen.
Harry won the award because he is such an honest, ambitious young man.
When he saw the girl, he was enamored by her big, beautiful blue eyes.
Copyright  2015 by Sharon Serrago, Inc.
Page 362
Test Taking Practice
I
I
C
I
I
I
I
C
C
C
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
On Monday, January 1, we will arrive in Tucson, Arizona, for the celebration.
The house at 1314 West Bank, Montfort, Florida, burned on Saturday, May 15, 2012.
My party will be held on June 3 at 445 Kelly Lane to celebrate my graduation.
Last Monday, May 5, we went to the market, to the movies, and to the restaurant.
The smart, eager student received his award on Friday, June 7, in Dallas, Texas.
On Friday, April 25, 2013, we were met by such kind, patient, and considerate people.
Raul’s graduation was held in Mission, Texas, last Saturday, May 30, 2014.
His favorite colors are purple, white, and yellow.
Their dispute began in January, continued through March, and finally ended in May 2014.
We have been looking forward to this event since January 2010.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Passage Based Testing
1.
c
2.
a
3.
a
4.
b
5.
b
6.
a
7.
a
8.
c
_____________________________________________________________________________
Vocabulary Matching Test Answers
1. e
2. b
3. j
4. d
5. a
6. c
7. i
8. g
9. h
10. f
11. o
12. t
13. k
14. p
15. m
16. q
17. s
18. l
19. n
20. r
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Vocabulary Multiple-Choice Tests Answers
1. e
2. b
3. c
4. d
5. e
6. b
7. a
8. d
9. a
10. c
11. d
12. b
13. a
14. d
15. c
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Vocabulary Sentence Completion Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
gregarious
petulance
inextricable
credulous
aesthetic
incorrigible
extol
euphemism
melancholy
exacerbate
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
virulent
trepidation
precocious
symmetry
volatile
rancor
pompous
trivia
repudiated
prologue
Copyright  2015 by Sharon Serrago, Inc.
Page 363