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 a conjunction?

Back

A comma should be used before a conjunction (like 'and', 'but', 'or') when it connects two independent clauses.

Front

What is an independent clause?

Back

An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone as a sentence, containing a subject and a verb.

Front

What is a dependent clause?

Back

A dependent clause is a group of words that cannot stand alone as a sentence and usually begins with a subordinating conjunction.

Front

When should you use commas in a list?

Back

Commas should be used to separate three or more items in a list, with a comma before the conjunction in the last item (Oxford comma is optional).

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 clause.

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, but do not use commas for cumulative adjectives.

Front

When is a comma not needed before 'because'?

Back

A comma is not needed before 'because' when the clause following it is essential to the meaning of the sentence.

Front

What is the purpose of a comma in direct address?

Back

Use a comma to separate the name of a person being addressed from the rest of the sentence.

Front

How do you use commas with geographical names?

Back

Use commas to separate the city from the state or country in geographical names.