Mastering Comma Usage in Sentences

Front

What is a comma?

Back

A punctuation mark used to indicate a pause between parts of a sentence or to separate items in a list.

Front

What is an independent clause?

Back

A group of words that can stand alone as a sentence, containing a subject and a verb.

Front

How do you use a comma in a compound sentence?

Back

Use a comma before the coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to separate two independent clauses.

Front

What is a nonessential appositive?

Back

A noun or noun phrase that renames another noun and is not necessary for the sentence's meaning, set off by commas.

Front

What is direct address in a sentence?

Back

When a speaker addresses someone directly, the name or title is set off by commas.

Front

What are coordinating adjectives?

Back

Adjectives that modify the same noun and are separated by commas when they can be joined by 'and'.

Front

How do you separate items in a list?

Back

Use commas to separate three or more items in a series.

Front

What is the Oxford comma?

Back

The final comma in a list of items, placed before 'and' or 'or'.

Front

How do you use commas with geographical locations?

Back

Use commas to separate the city from the state and to separate multiple locations.

Front

What is a compound sentence?

Back

A sentence that contains at least two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction.