Commas, commas and more commas

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 because it has a subject and a verb.

Front

Provide an example of a sentence with correct comma usage in a list.

Back

I bought apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes.

Front

What is a dependent clause?

Back

A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence and usually begins with a subordinating conjunction like 'because' or 'if'.

Front

When should you use commas with adjectives?

Back

Use commas to separate two or more adjectives that equally describe a noun (e.g., 'It was a long, tiring day.').

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 (e.g., 'Can you help me, Sarah?').

Front

What is the rule for using commas with introductory phrases?

Back

Use a comma after an introductory phrase or clause that precedes the main clause (e.g., 'After dinner, we went for a walk.').

Front

When should you use commas in dates?

Back

Use commas to separate the day from the year in a full date (e.g., 'July 4, 1776, was a significant day.').

Front

What is the rule for using commas in complex sentences?

Back

In complex sentences, use commas to separate the dependent clause from the independent clause when the dependent clause comes first.