General Rule

Use a comma to set off additional information if its after an independent clause and the additions modify or describe elements of the clause.
For Example: All the other kids watched the woman as she moved along the line, her high heeled shoes sounding like firecrackers going off on the wooden floor. (Bud Not Buddy, 1). Taken From (Anderson, 96) The base clause or sentences is All the other kids watched the woman as she moved along the line, and then her high heeled shoes sounding like firecrackers going off on the wooden floor. adds to and modifies the sentence. The part before the comma could stand on its own, but the phrase after the comma gives a more concrete, sensory picture of what is happening.

Cumulative Sentence
Independent Clause + a number of subordinate constructions Sentence + string of modifiers (describers) Sentence + lens focusingzooming in on details, qualities or attributes (Anderson, 22)
A general format for these sentences

Sentence,

Closer.

(Anderson, 98)
I walked to the store, dragging my feet slowly along the soft grass. I am nervous, with sweating palms and shaking legs.