Comma Rules Practice

Front

What is the purpose of using commas in a sentence?

Back

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.

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 contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.

Front

How do you punctuate a list of three or more items?

Back

Use commas to separate the items in the list, and place an 'and' before the last item.

Front

What is a compound sentence?

Back

A compound sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses joined by a conjunction.

Front

When should you use commas with introductory phrases?

Back

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

Front

What is the rule for using commas with direct quotations?

Back

Commas are used to separate the quotation from the rest of the sentence, typically placed before the opening quotation mark or after the closing quotation mark.

Front

How do you use commas in complex sentences?

Back

In complex sentences, use commas to separate the dependent clause from the independent clause when the dependent clause comes first.

Front

What is the Oxford comma?

Back

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

Front

When should you not use a comma?

Back

Do not use a comma to separate two independent clauses without a conjunction, or to separate a subject from its verb.