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

Back

You should use a comma before 'and' in a list of three or more items, known as the Oxford comma. For example: 'I bought apples, oranges, and bananas.'

Front

What is the purpose of a comma in a compound sentence?

Back

A comma is used before a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to connect two independent clauses. For example: 'I wanted to go for a walk, but it started to rain.'

Front

How do you use commas with introductory phrases?

Back

Use a comma after an introductory phrase or clause to separate it from the main part of the sentence. For example: 'After dinner, we went for a walk.'

Front

What is a common mistake when using commas in a list?

Back

A common mistake is omitting the comma before 'and' in a list of three or more items. For example, 'I like apples, oranges and bananas' should include a comma: 'I like apples, oranges, and bananas.'

Front

When should you not use a comma?

Back

Do not use a comma to separate two items in a simple list. For example: 'I want pizza and soda.' No comma is needed.

Front

What is a comma splice?

Back

A comma splice occurs when two independent clauses are joined by a comma without a coordinating conjunction. For example: 'I love to read, I have many books.' This should be corrected.

Front

How do you use commas with direct address?

Back

Use commas to separate the name of a person being addressed from the rest of the sentence. For example: 'Can you help me, Sarah?'

Front

What is the rule for using commas with dates?

Back

Use a comma to separate the day from the year in a date. For example: 'July 4, 1776, is a significant date in American history.'

Front

How do you use commas in numbers?

Back

Use commas to separate groups of three digits in large numbers for clarity. For example: '1,000' or '20,000,000'.