Comma rules

Multiple Choice

Which comma rule applies in this sentence?

I like ice cream, brownies, and cookies.

• comma with so

• items in a series

• no comma with so that

• coordinate adjectives

Coordinate Adjectives

Are adjectives of equal importance that can be switched and retain the same meaning.

Example: I pet the sloppy, wet dog.

In this sentence, sloppy and wet are the coordinate adjectives. Another way to tell if two adjectives are coordinate is to see if you can place the word and in between them.

• Commas go in between two coordinate adjectives.

Use a comma before for, and, nor, but, or, yet, or so to join two independent clauses and form a compound sentence.

comma rule

independent clause + independent clause= compound sentence

compound sentences are joined by a coordinate adjective (FANBOYS)

​sentence clause review

Commas in compound sentences

​Introductory Element Comma

Use a comma to separate an introductory element from the main clause that follows.

• can be a verb, speaker tab, prepositional phrase, noun of direct address, etc.

• find by seeing what comes before the independent clause

• Ex: Because she is short, Francine loved to go shopping with Rachel, a tall friend.

Nonessentials/Interruptors

Nonessential words, phrases, and clauses are interrupters.

Interrupters disrupt the flow of the sentence and must be used with a comma

• appositive: renames something

• adjective phrases = interrupters

Poll

You need a comma with which one?

• so that

• so