Commas Commas 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 commas in a list?

Back

Use commas to separate three or more items in a list. For example: 'I bought apples, oranges, and bananas.'

Front

What is the Oxford comma?

Back

The Oxford comma is the final comma in a list of items, placed before 'and' or 'or'. For example: 'I like apples, oranges, and bananas.'

Front

How do you use commas with conjunctions?

Back

Use a comma before a conjunction (like 'and' or 'but') when it connects two independent clauses. For example: 'I wanted to go, but it was raining.'

Front

When should you use a comma after an introductory phrase?

Back

Use a comma after an introductory phrase or clause. For example: 'After dinner, we went for a walk.'

Front

How do you use commas in dates?

Back

Use a comma to separate the day from the year in a date. For example: 'On October 17, 1994, we celebrated.'

Front

What is a compound sentence?

Back

A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a conjunction. For example: 'I wanted to play outside, but it started to rain.'

Front

When should you use commas in 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

How do you use commas with adjectives?

Back

Use commas to separate two or more adjectives that equally describe a noun. For example: 'It was a long, tiring day.'

Front

What is a non-essential clause?

Back

A non-essential clause adds extra information to a sentence but can be removed without changing the sentence's meaning. Use commas to set it off. For example: 'My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting.'