Comma Rules

Front

What is the purpose of using 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

What is a list in writing?

Back

A list is a series of items or elements that are written one after the other, often separated by commas.

Front

What is Rule #1 of comma usage?

Back

Rule #1: Commas separate independent clauses when joined by conjunctions (FANBOYS: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).

Front

What does FANBOYS stand for?

Back

FANBOYS is an acronym for the coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

Front

How do you use commas in a series?

Back

Use commas to separate three or more items in a list, placing a comma before the conjunction (e.g., 'apples, oranges, and bananas').

Front

What is an independent clause?

Back

An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone as a complete sentence, containing a subject and a verb.

Front

What is a compound sentence?

Back

A compound sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses joined by a conjunction.

Front

When should you not use a comma in a list?

Back

Do not use a comma before the conjunction if there are only two items in the list (e.g., 'I like apples and oranges').

Front

What is Rule #4 of comma usage?

Back

Rule #4: Commas separate items in a series of three or more.

Front

What is the correct way to punctuate this sentence? 'For my birthday my parents got me books candy sneakers and a cell phone.'

Back

The correct punctuation is: 'For my birthday, my parents got me books, candy, sneakers, and a cell phone.'