commas, commas, commas

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 in a date?

Back

Use a comma to separate the day from the year in a date, for example: September 3, 2014.

Front

How do you use commas in a list?

Back

Use commas to separate items in a list, for example: I bought apples, oranges, and bananas.

Front

What is the rule for using commas with conjunctions?

Back

Use a comma before a conjunction (like 'and' or 'but') when it connects two independent clauses.

Front

When should you use a comma after an introductory phrase?

Back

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

Front

What is a direct address in a sentence?

Back

A direct address is when you call someone by name in a sentence, and you should use a comma to separate the name, for example: "Let's eat, Grandma."

Front

How do you punctuate a quote?

Back

Use a comma before the opening quotation mark and a comma after the closing quotation mark if the quote is followed by a tag, for example: He said, "It's a beautiful day."

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 meaning. Use commas to set it off, for example: My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting.

Front

When do you use commas with adjectives?

Back

Use commas to separate two or more adjectives that equally describe a noun, for example: It was a long, tiring day.

Front

What is the Oxford comma?

Back

The Oxford comma is the last comma in a list of three or more items, placed before 'and' or 'or', for example: I like apples, bananas, and cherries.