Commas, commas and more 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, separate items in a list, and 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 can stand alone as a sentence because it has a subject and a verb.

Front

Provide an example of a sentence with correct comma usage before a conjunction.

Back

I wanted to go for a walk, but it started to rain.

Front

What is a list comma?

Back

A list comma is used to separate items in a series, such as in 'apples, oranges, and bananas'.

Front

When do you use a comma after an introductory phrase?

Back

A comma is used after an introductory phrase to separate it from the main clause, e.g., 'After dinner, we went for a walk.'

Front

What is a direct address in a sentence?

Back

A direct address is when you call someone by name in a sentence, and it is set off by commas, e.g., 'Lisa, can you help me?'

Front

How do you use commas with adjectives?

Back

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

Front

What is a non-essential clause?

Back

A non-essential clause adds extra information to a sentence but can be removed without changing the sentence's meaning, e.g., 'My brother, who lives in New York, is visiting.'

Front

When should you not use a comma?

Back

Do not use a comma to separate a subject from its verb or to separate a verb from its object.