Comma Usage and Rules

Kerrie Lewis explains the various uses of commas, including in numbers, direct address, lists, speech marks, extra information, introductory words, compound sentences, transition words, and complex sentences. She also addresses common mistakes like comma splicing and provides solutions.

What is the primary use of a comma in numbers?

• To separate thousands in numbers greater than 999

• To indicate a decimal point

• To denote currency

• To separate digits in phone numbers

Why is a comma important in direct address?

• It clarifies who is being addressed

• It indicates a pause

• It helps to list items

• It separates two independent clauses

What can happen if commas are not used in lists?

• The meaning of the sentence can change

• The list items are capitalized

• The list becomes longer

• The sentence becomes a question

What is the Oxford comma used for?

• To indicate a pause

• To clarify the last items in a list

• To start a new paragraph

• To separate two independent clauses

Where is the comma placed when the speaker is first in speech marks?

• Before the closing speech marks

• Before the verb

• After the closing speech marks

• After the verb

What is the purpose of using commas to bracket off extra information?

• To start a new sentence

• To emphasize the information

• To indicate the information is less important

• To list items

When should a comma be used with introductory words or phrases?

• Only in complex sentences

• Always at the end of a sentence

• When the phrase is a question

• When there is a natural pause

In a compound sentence, where is the comma placed?

• After the first clause

• Before the first clause

• Before the coordinating conjunction

• At the end of the sentence

How is 'however' used in a sentence with a comma?

• Both at the beginning and end with commas

• At the end with a comma before

• In the middle with no commas

• At the beginning with a comma after

What is a subordinate clause?

• A clause that ends a sentence

• A clause that starts a sentence

• A clause that depends on a main clause

• A clause that can stand alone