8 Comma Rules

Directions: After each rule and example, add commas to the sentences where needed.

1) Use commas to separate items in a list of three or more.
Add commas to the sentence where needed.

• Carlos wants to visit Paris, Italy, Germany, and China.

• Carlos wants to visit Paris Italy Germany and China.

• Carlos wants to visit Paris, Italy Germany and China.

• Carlos wants to visit Paris Italy, Germany and China.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'Carlos wants to visit Paris, Italy, Germany, and China.' Commas are needed to separate the items in the list, including the Oxford comma before 'and' for clarity.

Directions: After each rule and example, add commas to the sentences where needed.

1) Use commas to separate items in a list of three or more.

My favorite colors are blue, red and pink. Add commas to the sentence where needed.

• My favorite colors are blue, red, and pink.

• My favorite colors are blue red, and pink.

• My favorite colors, are blue, red and pink.

• My favorite colors are blue, red and pink

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'My favorite colors are blue, red, and pink.' Commas are needed to separate the items in the list, and the Oxford comma before 'and' is also included for clarity.

Directions: After each rule and example, add commas to the sentences where needed.

1) Use commas to separate items in a list of three or more.
I like to go hiking, fishing, swimming, and camping during the summer. Add commas to the sentence where needed.

• I like to go hiking, fishing, swimming, and camping during the summer.

• I like to go hiking fishing, swimming, and camping during the summer.

• I like to go hiking, fishing swimming and camping during the summer.

• I like to go hiking, fishing, swimming and camping during the summer.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'I like to go hiking, fishing, swimming, and camping during summer.' Commas are needed to separate the items in the list, including before the 'and' for clarity.

Directions: After each rule and example, add commas to the sentences where needed.

1) Use commas to separate items in a list of three or more.
Add commas to the sentences where needed.

• I have to clean my room, walk the dog, and take out the trash.

• I have to clean my room walk the dog and take out the trash.

• I have to clean my room, walk the dog and take out the trash.

• I have to clean my room and walk the dog and take out the trash.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'I have to clean my room, walk the dog, and take out the trash.' This sentence correctly uses commas to separate the items in the list, following the rule for lists of three or more.

Directions: After each rule and example, add commas to the sentences where needed.

1) Use commas to separate items in a list of three or more.
The tree is very tall old and green. Add commas to the sentence where needed.

• The tree is very tall, old, and green.

• The tree is very tall old, and green.

• The tree is very tall, old and green.

• The tree, is very tall, old and green.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'The tree is very tall, old, and green.' Commas are needed to separate the items in the list: 'tall', 'old', and 'green'. The last comma before 'and' is known as the Oxford comma, which is used for clarity.

Directions: After each rule and example, add commas to the sentences where needed.

1) Use commas to separate items in a list of three or more.
Add commas to the sentence where needed.

• I need to visit my mother, wash my car, and buy six stamps.

• I need to visit my mother wash my car and buy six stamps.

• I need to visit my mother, wash my car and buy six stamps.

• I need to visit my mother and wash my car, and buy six stamps.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'I need to visit my mother, wash my car, and buy six stamps.' Commas are used to separate items in a list of three or more, making the sentence clear and correctly punctuated.

Directions: After each rule and example, add commas to the sentences where needed.

2) Use a comma to separate independent clauses (complete thoughts) when they are joined by the following conjunctions: and, or, for, nor, so, but, yet.
Add commas to the sentence where needed.

• We can go to the zoo, or we can go to the movie theater.

• We can go to the zoo or, we can go to the movie theater.

• We can go, to the zoo or we can go to the movie theater.

• We can go to the zoo or we can go, to the movie theater.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'We can go to the zoo, or we can go to the movie theater.' A comma is needed before 'or' to separate the independent clauses, as per the rule.

Directions: After each rule and example, add commas to the sentences where needed.

2) Use a comma to separate independent clauses (complete thoughts) when they are joined by the following conjunctions: and, or, for, nor, so, but, yet.
Add commas to the sentence where needed.

• They like chocolate, but they like vanilla better.

• They like chocolate but, they like vanilla better.

• They like chocolate but they like vanilla, better.

• They like, chocolate but they like vanilla better.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'They like chocolate, but they like vanilla better.' because it properly uses a comma before the conjunction 'but' to separate the two independent clauses.

Rewrite the sentence by adding a comma to separate the introductory phrase from the main clause: In five minutes the building will be closed.

• In five minutes, the building will be closed.

• In five minutes the building, will be closed.

• In, five minutes the building will be closed.

• In five minutes the building will, be closed.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'In five minutes, the building will be closed.' because it properly uses a comma to separate the dependent clause 'In five minutes' from the independent clause 'the building will be closed.'

Rewrite the sentence by adding a comma to separate the dependent clause from the independent clause: When I get home I am going to brush my teeth.

• When I get home, I am going to brush my teeth.

• When I get home I am, going to brush my teeth.

• When I get, home I am going to brush my teeth.

• When, I get home I am going to brush my teeth.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'When I get home, I am going to brush my teeth.' A comma is needed to separate the dependent clause 'When I get home' from the independent clause 'I am going to brush my teeth.'