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 do you use a comma in an address?

Back

You use a comma to separate the city from the state in an address, for example, 'Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania'.

Front

How do you use commas in a list?

Back

Commas are used to separate items in a list, such as 'apples, oranges, and bananas'.

Front

What is the Oxford comma?

Back

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

Front

How do you punctuate a sentence with multiple adjectives?

Back

Use commas to separate adjectives that equally describe a noun, for example, 'It was a long, tiring journey.'

Front

What is the rule for using commas with conjunctions?

Back

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

Front

When should you not use a comma?

Back

Do not use a comma to separate a subject from its verb or a verb from its object.

Front

How do you use commas in direct address?

Back

Use commas to separate the name of a person being addressed from the rest of the sentence, for example, 'Can you help me, Sarah?'.

Front

What is a compound sentence?

Back

A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a conjunction, and a comma is used before the conjunction.

Front

How do you use commas with dates?

Back

Use a comma to separate the day from the year in a date, for example, 'July 4, 1776'.