ACT Comma Practice

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

Use commas to separate the items, and include a conjunction (usually 'and' or 'or') before the last item.

An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.

A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought and cannot stand alone.

Use a comma before a conjunction when it connects two independent clauses.

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

You can correct a run-on sentence by adding a comma and a conjunction, separating it into two sentences, or using a semicolon.

Restrictive clauses provide essential information about a noun and are not set off by commas, while non-restrictive clauses add extra information and are set off by commas.

Use a comma after an introductory phrase or clause to separate it from the main clause.

Use commas to separate coordinate adjectives that equally modify a noun.