Mastering the 8 Essential Comma Rules

The video tutorial covers eight essential comma rules, emphasizing their importance in clarifying meaning and preventing misunderstandings. It explains how to use commas in series, independent and dependent clauses, non-essential clauses, quotations, introductory clauses, city and state names, and dates. The tutorial concludes with a practice exercise for students to apply these rules.

Why is correct punctuation important?

• It makes sentences longer.

• It helps in understanding the meaning.

• It makes writing look fancy.

• It is not important.

Which of the following sentences correctly uses commas in a series?

• I need to buy eggs milk lettuce and bread.

• I need to buy eggs, milk, lettuce and bread.

• I need to buy eggs, milk, lettuce, and bread.

• I need to buy eggs milk, lettuce, and bread.

What is the purpose of using commas to separate independent clauses?

• To make sentences shorter.

• To create compound sentences.

• To confuse the reader.

• To add unnecessary pauses.

Identify the dependent clause in the sentence: 'Without water, the plant will die.'

• The plant will die

• Without water

• Will die

• Without water, the plant

What is an appositive?

• A group of words providing extra information.

• A type of punctuation mark.

• A sentence without a subject.

• A clause that can stand alone.

Which sentence correctly uses commas to separate a quotation?

• We need to buy, more sugar I said.

• We need to buy more sugar I, said.

• We need to buy more sugar, I said.

• We need to buy more sugar I said.

What is an introductory clause?

• A clause that ends a sentence.

• A clause that starts a sentence.

• A clause that is in the middle of a sentence.

• A clause that has no meaning.

How should you separate the name of a city from a state?

• With a semicolon

• With a period

• With a comma

• With a dash

Which of the following dates is correctly punctuated?

• Today is Thursday, April 18th 1943.

• Today is Thursday April, 18th 1943.

• Today is Thursday, April 18th, 1943.

• Today is Thursday April 18th 1943.

What should you do after copying the sentences on notebook paper?

• Add commas where needed.

• Erase the sentences.

• Rewrite the sentences without commas.

• Turn in the paper without making any changes.