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 should commas be used in a list?

Back

Commas should be used to separate three or more items in a list, e.g., "I bought apples, oranges, and bananas."

Front

What is the Oxford comma?

Back

The Oxford comma is the final comma in a list of items, placed before 'and' or 'or'. It is used for clarity, e.g., "I love my parents, Lady Gaga, and Humpty Dumpty."

Front

How do you use commas with coordinating conjunctions?

Back

Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) when it connects two independent clauses, e.g., "I wanted to go for a walk, but it started to rain."

Front

What is a compound sentence?

Back

A compound sentence is made up of two or more independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction, e.g., "I wanted to go to the park, but it was closed."

Front

How do you use commas in direct address?

Back

Use commas to separate the name of the 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 adjectives?

Back

Use commas to separate two or more coordinate adjectives that describe the same noun, e.g., "It was a long, tiring day."

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."

Front

How do you use commas in dates?

Back

Use commas to separate the day from the year in a full date, e.g., "On July 4, 1776, the Declaration was signed."

Front

What is a non-restrictive clause?

Back

A non-restrictive clause adds extra information to a sentence and is set off by commas, e.g., "My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting."