Commas

Front

What is the purpose of commas in a sentence?

Back

Commas are used to indicate a pause between parts of a sentence, to separate items in a list, and to clarify meaning.

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 because it has a subject and a verb.

Front

How do you use commas in a list?

Back

Commas are used to separate items in a list, and a comma is placed before the conjunction in a list of three or more items.

Front

What is a non-essential clause?

Back

A non-essential clause provides additional information but can be removed without changing the main meaning of the sentence. It is set off by commas.

Front

How do you punctuate dates correctly?

Back

In dates, a comma is used to separate the day from the year, e.g., May 5, 2016.

Front

How do you punctuate geographical locations?

Back

Commas are used to separate the city from the state or country, e.g., Orlando, Florida.

Front

What is an example of a sentence with correct comma usage?

Back

"I went to the store and bought apples, oranges, and bananas."

Front

What is a compound sentence?

Back

A compound sentence consists of two independent clauses joined by a conjunction, often requiring a comma before the conjunction.

Front

When should you not use a comma?

Back

Do not use a comma to separate a subject from its verb or to separate two items that are not independent clauses.