Using commas

"A serving, Emilio, is a certain amount of food," said Dr. Perillo.

"Dave, a cross-country runner, will need more calories than a less active student," explained Dr. Perillo.

"Class, remember to eat foods from the five basic food groups," she said.

Right.

The use of commas in these sentences is to set off additional information or to emphasize certain words. Let's break down each example:

1. "A serving, Emilio, is a certain amount of food," said Dr. Perillo.
- In this sentence, the name "Emilio" is set off by commas. It means that "Emilio" is an additional piece of information or a clarifying comment. The sentence could still make sense without "Emilio" in parentheses as "A serving is a certain amount of food," but adding his name provides more context.

2. "Dave, a cross-country runner, will need more calories than a less active student," explained Dr. Perillo.
- Here, the phrase "a cross-country runner" is set off by commas. It provides additional information about Dave and clarifies why he will need more calories. Without the extra information, the sentence would still be complete and understandable: "Dave will need more calories than a less active student."

3. "Class, remember to eat foods from the five basic food groups," she said.
- In this sentence, the word "Class" is set off by commas. It is used as an addressing term or a way to get people's attention. Without "Class" in parentheses, the sentence would still make sense: "Remember to eat foods from the five basic food groups."

Using commas like this helps to clarify the meaning of a sentence or draw attention to certain words or phrases.