Commas, Commas, Commas

Front

What is the purpose of commas in a sentence?

Back

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

How do you use commas in dates?

Back

Commas are used to separate the day from the month and the year in a date, e.g., 'January 22, 2017'.

Front

What is the correct way to write an address with commas?

Back

In an address, commas are used to separate the street address from the city and the city from the state, e.g., '1212 Prancer Circle, Branson, Missouri'.

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, and bananas.'

Front

What is a common mistake when using commas?

Back

A common mistake is to omit commas before conjunctions when connecting independent clauses.

Front

When should you not use a comma?

Back

Do not use a comma when connecting two items in a simple sentence, e.g., 'I like apples and oranges'.

Front

What is the rule for using commas with introductory phrases?

Back

Use a comma after an introductory phrase or clause, e.g., 'After dinner, we went for a walk.'

Front

How do you use commas with direct address?

Back

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

Front

What is the Oxford comma?

Back

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