Commas, Ellipses and Dashes

Front

What is a comma?

Back

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

Use a comma before a conjunction (like 'and', 'but', 'or') when it connects two independent clauses.

Front

What is an ellipsis?

Back

A series of three dots (...) used to indicate the omission of words or a pause in speech.

Front

How do you use ellipses in dialogue?

Back

Ellipses can be used in dialogue to show that a speaker has trailed off or left something unsaid.

Front

What is a dash?

Back

A punctuation mark (—) used to indicate a break in thought or to set off additional information.

Front

When should you use dashes instead of commas?

Back

Use dashes to create emphasis or to set off information that is not essential to the main point.

Front

What is the difference between a dash and a hyphen?

Back

A dash (—) is longer and used for breaks in thought, while a hyphen (-) is shorter and used to connect words.

Front

How do you punctuate a list with commas?

Back

Use commas to separate items in a list, and place 'and' before the last item.

Front

What is the purpose of using commas in a sentence?

Back

Commas help clarify meaning by indicating pauses, separating elements, and organizing complex sentences.

Front

How do you use commas with introductory phrases?

Back

Place a comma after an introductory phrase to separate it from the main clause.