Commas with FANBOYS

Front

What are FANBOYS?

Back

FANBOYS is an acronym for the coordinating conjunctions: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.

Front

When should you add a comma before a FANBOYS conjunction?

Back

You should add a comma before a FANBOYS conjunction 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

What is a dependent clause?

Back

A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence and usually begins with a subordinating conjunction.

Front

Example of a sentence with a comma before a FANBOYS conjunction.

Back

I wanted to go to the park, but it started to rain.

Front

Example of a sentence without a comma before a FANBOYS conjunction.

Back

She likes to swim and play soccer.

Front

What happens if you incorrectly place a comma before a FANBOYS conjunction?

Back

It can create confusion and make the sentence grammatically incorrect.

Front

What is the rule for using commas with 'and' in a list?

Back

Use commas to separate items in a list, but do not place a comma before 'and' unless it is part of a compound sentence.

Front

Is this sentence correct? 'I wanted to eat pizza, and I also wanted to eat pasta.'

Back

Yes, it is correct because it connects two independent clauses.

Front

Is this sentence correct? 'I wanted to eat pizza and I also wanted to eat pasta.'

Back

No, it is incorrect because it connects two independent clauses without a comma.