Commas and Semicolons

Front

What is a comma?

Back

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

Front

What is a semicolon?

Back

A punctuation mark (;) used to connect independent clauses that are closely related in thought.

Front

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

Back

Use a comma before 'and' in a list of three or more items (Oxford comma) for clarity.

Front

Correctly punctuate: I need apples oranges and bananas.

Back

I need apples, oranges, and bananas.

Front

Correctly punctuate: She loves reading cooking and traveling.

Back

She loves reading, cooking, and traveling.

Front

What is the purpose of a semicolon in a sentence?

Back

To link two independent clauses that are closely related without using a conjunction.

Front

Correctly punctuate: I have a dog it is very friendly.

Back

I have a dog; it is very friendly.

Front

Correctly punctuate: The sun is shining it is a beautiful day.

Back

The sun is shining; it is a beautiful day.

Front

What is a common mistake when using commas?

Back

Using a comma to separate two independent clauses without a conjunction.

Front

Correctly punctuate: I want to go to the park but it is raining.

Back

I want to go to the park, but it is raining.