Commas

Front

What is a comma?

Back

A comma is 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

How do you use commas in a list?

Back

Use commas to separate items in a list, except for the last item, which is usually preceded by 'and' or 'or'.

Front

Where should a comma be placed in a date?

Back

Place a comma after the day and after the year when the date is written in a sentence (e.g., August 21, 2017, was a great day).

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., apples, oranges, and bananas).

Front

When should you use commas with adjectives?

Back

Use commas to separate two or more adjectives that equally describe a noun (e.g., It was a long, tiring journey).

Front

How do you use commas with introductory phrases?

Back

Use a comma after an introductory phrase or clause that precedes the main clause (e.g., After dinner, we went for a walk).

Front

What is a non-restrictive clause?

Back

A non-restrictive clause adds extra information to a sentence but is not essential to its meaning; it should be set off by commas (e.g., My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting).

Front

When should you not use a comma?

Back

Do not use a comma to separate a subject from its verb or a verb from its object (e.g., The dog barked loudly, not The dog, barked loudly).

Front

How do you use commas with direct address?

Back

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