Comma Practice

Front

What is the purpose of a comma in a sentence?

Back

Commas are used to indicate a pause between parts of a sentence, separate items in a list, or 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

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

Back

Use commas to separate the items, and include a comma before the conjunction (known as the Oxford comma) if desired.

Front

What is the rule for using commas with adjectives?

Back

Use commas to separate two or more adjectives that equally modify a noun. If the adjectives can be joined by 'and', use a comma.

Front

When is it unnecessary to use a comma between adjectives?

Back

Do not use a comma when the adjectives are cumulative, meaning they build upon each other to modify the noun.

Front

What is a compound sentence?

Back

A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses joined by a conjunction.

Front

How do you correctly punctuate a compound sentence?

Back

Place a comma before the conjunction that connects the independent clauses.

Front

What is the function of a comma in direct address?

Back

Use a comma to separate the name or title of a person being addressed from the rest of the sentence.

Front

What is a non-essential clause?

Back

A non-essential clause adds extra information to a sentence but can be removed without changing the sentence's meaning.