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 a comma be used after an introductory phrase?

Back

A comma should be used after an introductory phrase to separate it from the main clause, e.g., 'After dinner, we went for a walk.'

Front

What is an ellipsis?

Back

An ellipsis (...) is a punctuation mark used to indicate the omission of words or a trailing off of thought.

Front

How is an ellipsis used in dialogue?

Back

An ellipsis is used in dialogue to show that a speaker has trailed off or left something unsaid, e.g., 'I was thinking... maybe we should go.'

Front

What is a dash?

Back

A dash (—) is a punctuation mark used to create a strong break in the structure of a sentence or to set off additional information.

Front

When should dashes be used instead of commas?

Back

Dashes should be used instead of commas when you want to add emphasis or create a more dramatic pause, e.g., 'He was the best—no one could deny it.'

Front

What is the difference between a hyphen and a dash?

Back

A hyphen (-) is used to join words or parts of words, while a dash (—) is used to create a break in a sentence.

Front

How do you use commas in a list?

Back

Commas are used to separate items in a list, e.g., 'I bought apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes.'

Front

What is the rule for using commas with coordinating conjunctions?

Back

Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) when it connects two independent clauses, e.g., 'I wanted to go, but it was raining.'

Front

When should you use a comma with direct address?

Back

Use a comma to separate the name of the person being addressed from the rest of the sentence, e.g., 'Can you help me, Sarah?'