Comma practice

Front

What is a comma?

Back

A comma is a punctuation mark (,) used to indicate a pause between parts of a sentence or to separate items in a list.

Front

When should you use a comma before 'and' in a list?

Back

You should use a comma before 'and' in a list when it separates three or more items, known as the Oxford comma.

Front

What is the purpose of a comma in a compound sentence?

Back

A comma is used before a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to separate two independent clauses.

Front

How do you use commas with adjectives?

Back

Use commas to separate two or more adjectives that equally describe a noun (e.g., 'It was a long, tiring journey.').

Front

What is a dependent clause?

Back

A dependent clause is a group of words that has both a subject and a verb but cannot stand alone as a complete sentence.

Front

When should you place a comma after an introductory phrase?

Back

Place a comma after an introductory phrase or clause to separate it from the main clause (e.g., 'After dinner, we went for a walk.').

Front

What is a non-essential clause?

Back

A non-essential clause provides additional information but can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence; it is set off by commas.

Front

How do you use commas in direct address?

Back

Use commas to separate the name of a person being addressed from the rest of the sentence (e.g., 'Can you help me, Sarah?').

Front

What is the rule for using commas with dates?

Back

Use a comma to separate the day from the year in a date (e.g., 'July 4, 1776').

Front

When should you use a comma in a complex sentence?

Back

Use a comma to separate the dependent clause from the independent clause when the dependent clause comes first (e.g., 'Although it was raining, we went outside.').