Commas

Front

What is the purpose of using commas in a sentence?

Back

Commas are used to indicate a pause between parts of a sentence, separate items in a list, and clarify meaning.

Front

When should you use a comma before a conjunction?

Back

A comma should be used before a conjunction (like 'and', 'but', 'or') when it connects two independent clauses.

Front

What is an independent clause?

Back

An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone as a sentence, containing a subject and a verb.

Front

Provide an example of a correctly punctuated sentence with a comma before a conjunction.

Back

I wanted to go for a walk, but it started to rain.

Front

What is a dependent clause?

Back

A dependent clause is a group of words that cannot stand alone as a sentence and usually begins with a subordinating conjunction.

Front

When should commas be used in a list?

Back

Commas should be used to separate items in a list of three or more.

Front

What is the Oxford comma?

Back

The Oxford comma is the final comma in a list of items, placed before 'and' or 'or'.

Front

How do you punctuate a sentence with an introductory phrase?

Back

A comma should be placed after an introductory phrase or clause before the main clause.

Front

What is the rule for using commas with adjectives?

Back

Use commas to separate two or more coordinate adjectives that describe the same noun.

Front

What is a non-restrictive clause?

Back

A non-restrictive clause provides additional information but is not essential to the meaning of the sentence and is set off by commas.