commas and combining sentences

Front

What is the purpose of a comma in a sentence?

Back

A comma is 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 'and' in a list?

Back

A comma should be used before 'and' in a list of three or more items (Oxford comma), but it can be omitted in shorter lists.

Front

How do you correctly punctuate a direct address in a sentence?

Back

When directly addressing someone, place a comma before their name or title. Example: 'Let's eat, Grandma.'

Front

What is a compound sentence?

Back

A compound sentence consists of two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).

Front

How do you combine two sentences using a conjunction?

Back

You can combine two sentences by using a conjunction and placing a comma before the conjunction if needed. Example: 'I wanted to go for a walk, but it started to rain.'

Front

What is an independent clause?

Back

An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone as a sentence because it expresses a complete thought.

Front

What is a dependent clause?

Back

A dependent clause cannot stand alone as a sentence and usually begins with a subordinating conjunction (e.g., because, although, since).

Front

When should you use a comma after an introductory phrase?

Back

A comma should be used after an introductory phrase or clause to separate it from the main clause. Example: 'After dinner, we went for a walk.'

Front

What is the rule for punctuating sentences with multiple adjectives?

Back

When using multiple adjectives that equally describe a noun, separate them with commas. Example: 'It was a long, tiring day.'

Front

How do you punctuate a sentence with a non-essential clause?

Back

Use commas to set off non-essential clauses that add extra information but are not crucial to the meaning of the sentence. Example: 'My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting.'