Commas, commas and more commas

Front

What is the purpose of using commas in a sentence?

Back

Commas are used to indicate a pause between parts of a sentence, to separate items in a list, to set off non-essential information, and to clarify meaning.

Front

When should you use a comma before a conjunction?

Back

A comma should be used before a conjunction (like 'and', 'but', 'or') when it connects two independent clauses.

Front

What is an independent clause?

Back

An independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.

Front

What is a non-essential clause?

Back

A non-essential clause provides additional information but can be removed without changing the main meaning of the sentence.

Front

How do you punctuate direct address in a sentence?

Back

When addressing someone directly, their name or title should be set off by commas, e.g., 'Let's eat, Grandma!'

Front

What is the rule for using commas in a list?

Back

Commas are used to separate items in a list, and a comma is typically placed before the conjunction in a series (Oxford comma), e.g., 'apples, oranges, and bananas'.

Front

When should commas be used with introductory phrases?

Back

Commas should be used after introductory phrases or clauses to separate them from the main clause, e.g., 'After dinner, we went for a walk.'

Front

What is the difference between restrictive and non-restrictive clauses?

Back

Restrictive clauses are essential to the meaning of a sentence and are not set off by commas, while non-restrictive clauses add extra information and are set off by commas.

Front

How do you use commas with adjectives?

Back

When two or more adjectives equally modify a noun, they should be separated by commas, e.g., 'It was a long, exhausting day.'

Front

What is a compound sentence?

Back

A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses joined by a conjunction or a semicolon.