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 'and' in a list?

Back

A comma should be used before 'and' in a list of three or more items (Oxford comma), e.g., 'apples, oranges, and bananas'.

Front

How do you use commas with dates?

Back

Commas are used to separate the day from the year and to separate the year from the rest of the sentence, e.g., 'July 4, 1776, was a significant date.'

Front

What is the rule for using commas with introductory phrases?

Back

A comma should be placed after an introductory phrase or clause, e.g., 'After dinner, we went for a walk.'

Front

When should you not use a comma in a sentence?

Back

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

Front

How do you use commas in 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 a compound sentence?

Back

A compound sentence contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction, and a comma is used before the conjunction, e.g., 'I wanted to go, but I was too tired.'

Front

How do you use commas with adjectives?

Back

Use commas to separate two or more coordinate adjectives that describe the same noun, e.g., 'It was a long, tiring day.'

Front

What is the rule for using commas with non-essential clauses?

Back

Non-essential clauses (which can be removed without changing the meaning of the sentence) should be set off with commas, e.g., 'My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting.'

Front

When should you use a comma in a complex sentence?

Back

In a complex sentence, use a comma after the dependent clause if it comes before the independent clause, e.g., 'Although it was raining, we went for a walk.'