Remember the old saying that when you take a breath you should
add a comma. Not true!! There really are rules and none of them
have to do with breathing. Use a comma to - Set off an
introductory word, phrase, or clause. "Haltingly, Jim answered
the question in class." "Even though tired from lack of sleep,
Sally made an A on her Greek test." - Separate clauses in
compound sentences (make sure you also use a coordinating
conjunction). "Alan built a snowman yesterday, and he also
shoveled the driveway." - Set off nonrestrictive elements
(clauses, phrases, and words that do not limit the words they
modify). "Gene March, who attended Austin Seminary, is a
wonderful professor and a great asset to LPTS." - "Who attended
Austin Seminary" is not essential to the meaning of the sentence
because it does not limit who it modifies. - If there were two
Gene Marchs at LPTS then "who attended Austin Seminary" would be
essential information distinguishing between the two Genes and
the commas would not be added. - Set off app