Comma Placement and Clause Types

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What is an independent clause?

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An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. Example: 'She loves to read.'

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What is a dependent clause?

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A dependent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb but does not express a complete thought. Example: 'Because she was tired.'

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When should you use a comma before a conjunction?

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Use a comma before a conjunction (like 'and', 'but', 'or') when it connects two independent clauses. Example: 'I wanted to go, but it was raining.'

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Where do you place a comma in a sentence with a dependent clause at the beginning?

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Place a comma after the dependent clause when it comes at the beginning of a sentence. Example: 'Although it was late, we decided to continue.'

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What is the purpose of a comma in a sentence?

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Commas are used to separate items in a list, to set off introductory elements, and to separate independent clauses when joined by conjunctions.

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What is a compound sentence?

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A compound sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses joined by a conjunction. Example: 'I wanted to play, but it started to rain.'

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What is a complex sentence?

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A complex sentence contains one independent clause and at least one dependent clause. Example: 'Although it was raining, we went for a walk.'

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What is a coordinating conjunction?

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A coordinating conjunction connects words, phrases, or independent clauses. The most common are 'for', 'and', 'nor', 'but', 'or', 'yet', 'so' (FANBOYS).

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What is a subordinating conjunction?

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A subordinating conjunction connects a dependent clause to an independent clause. Examples include 'because', 'although', 'since', and 'while'.

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What is a sentence fragment?

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A sentence fragment is a group of words that does not express a complete thought. Example: 'When we went to the store.'