Commas generally reflect pauses in speech. In a series, place commas after each item but not before the final and.
For example: Students waited in line to buy their textbooks, notebooks, pencils and pens.
For direct quotes, place commas and periods inside the quotation marks.
For example: "This spectacular evening is one of Durham College's biggest fundraising events and we look forward to an evening with both our individual and corporate donor partners that will help make the post-secondary dreams of our students a reality," said John Smith, president of Durham College.
Commas are used to separate words or expressions that interrupt the normal progression of a sentence.
For example: Jane Smith, president of Durham College, led a team-building exercise recently.
When writing a specific date that includes a day of the week, place a comma between the day and the month.
For example: Orientation for first-year students is on Tuesday, September 4.