Commas Commas Commas!

Front

What is the purpose of a comma 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

Is this sentence correct? 'I like apples oranges and bananas.'

Back

No, it should be 'I like apples, oranges, and bananas.' Commas are needed to separate items in a list.

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

When do you use commas in a series?

Back

Use commas to separate three or more items in a series, such as 'I bought apples, oranges, and bananas.'

Front

What is a compound sentence?

Back

A compound sentence is made up of two independent clauses joined by a conjunction, such as 'I wanted to go for a walk, but it started to rain.'

Front

How do you punctuate this sentence? 'My favorite colors are blue green and red.'

Back

It should be 'My favorite colors are blue, green, and red.' Commas separate items in a list.

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

When should you not use a comma?

Back

Do not use a comma when it separates a subject from its verb or when it separates a verb from its object.

Front

Is this sentence correct? 'She is smart, and talented.'

Back

No, it should be 'She is smart and talented.' No comma is needed before 'and' in this case.