Comma Rules

Front

What is the purpose of commas in a sentence?

Back

Commas are used to indicate a pause between parts of a sentence, separate items in a list, and clarify meaning.

Front

When should you use a comma before 'and' in a list?

Back

A comma should be used before 'and' in a list of three or more items (Oxford comma), e.g., 'apples, oranges, and bananas.'

Front

How do you use commas with introductory phrases?

Back

Use a comma after an introductory phrase or clause, e.g., 'After dinner, we went for a walk.'

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 sentence's meaning. It should be set off by commas.

Front

Provide an example of a sentence with a non-essential clause.

Back

My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting us next week.

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 journey.'

Front

What is the rule for using commas with 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

How do you use commas in dates?

Back

Use a comma to separate the day from the year and after the year if the date is in the middle of a sentence, e.g., 'On July 4, 1776, the Declaration was signed.'

Front

What is the rule for using commas with conjunctions?

Back

Use a comma before a conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) when it connects two independent clauses, e.g., 'I wanted to go, but I was too tired.'

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, e.g., 'The dog barked loudly.'