Commas2

Conjunctions (and how to use commas with them)

Multiple Choice

A conjunction is... 

• A person, place, thing, or idea
• An action word
• A word used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause
• 2 or more words that do not contain subject + verb

Coordinating Conjunctions

I can get you a present, or I can take you to the beach.

I like puppies and kitties.

Examples:

A word or phrase that links an independent clause to an independent clause. They are placed between words, phrases, clauses, or sentences of equal rank.

Most common coordinating conjunctions

For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So

FANBOYS

Definition:

How to use commas with coordinate conjunctions

Most of the time, when a coordinating conjunction connects two independent clauses to create a compound sentence, a comma appears before the conjunction.

I haven’t been to the supermarket yet this week, but I plan to go today.

Basic Structure: IC, FANBOYS IC

Subordinate Conjunctions

Robin wasn’t allowed in the Batmobile any longer because he wouldn’t wear a seat belt.

Once Batman learned that Robin had not been wearing his seat belt, he took away his keys to the Batmobile.

Examples:

a word or phrase that links a dependent clause to an independent clause. This word or phrase indicates that a clause has informative value to add to the sentence’s main idea, signaling a cause-and-effect relationship or a shift in time and place between the two clauses.

Definition:

How to use commas with subordinate clauses

If the dependent clause (featuring a subordinate clause) comes first, then a comma goes between the dependent clause and the independent clause.

Once Batman learned that Robin had not been wearing his seat belt, he took away his keys to the Batmobile.

Subordinate clauses after the independent clause do not use a comma because the "have to have" information is there already to make it a sentence.

Robin wasn’t allowed in the Batmobile any longer because he wouldn’t wear a seat belt.

Multiple Choice

Which of these sentences is written correctly?

• As I told you, the test is tomorrow.
• As, I told you the test is tomorrow.
• As I told you the test, is tomorrow.

Multiple Choice

Which of these sentences is written correctly?

• I went to the store, but I didn't buy anything.

• I went to the store but, I didn't buy anything.

• I went to the store; but, I didn't buy anything.

Multiple Choice

Which of these sentences is written correctly?

• If I want to go to Florida, I should start saving money.

• Bart ate an apple, that was starting to go bad.

• I like reading Jennifer Nielsen books, because I think they're always really interesting.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is properly punctuated?

• When the Senate convened the citizens gathered on the plain.

• When the Senate convened, the citizens gathered on the plain.

Multiple Choice

What is the conjunction in the following sentence? Luke Skywalker and Han Solo set out to rescue Princess Leia. 

• Set
• Rescue
• And
• To

Multiple Choice

I have some free time ... an extra ticket. Do you want to see a movie?

• and

• for

• yet

• nor

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is constructed of two independent clauses?

• Jupiter's soil is rich, and the harvest will be abundant.

• Since Jupiter and Saturn are huge, the oceans there are rough.

Multiple Choice

Which word is a subordinate conjunction?

• since

• but

Multiple Choice

Which word is a coordinating conjunction?

• because

• and

Multiple Choice

A coordinating conjunction is used to connect independent clauses.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

A subordinate conjunction makes a clause dependent.

• true

• false

Multiple Choice

Which sentence contains both an independent and a dependent clause?

• Science relies on a process of induction; it gathers evidence.

• Since Jupiter and Saturn are huge, the oceans there are rough.

Multiple Choice

Which is the correct use of a comma with a coordinating conjunction?

• Reginald had a bad habit of being late for work so the company fired him and hired the new guy.

• Reginald had a bad habit of being late for work, so the company fired him and hired the new guy.

• Reginald had a bad habit of being late for work so, the company fired him and hired the new guy.

• Reginald had a bad habit of being late for work; so, the company fired him and hired the new guy.

Multiple Select

Select all of the independent clauses

• Sally eats pickles

• although she only likes dill pickles

• She prefers salty food

• since sugary food is too sweet