Appositives and Commas in a Series

WHICH COMMA RULE APPLIES?
The social studies teacher, Mr. Brown, and the English teacher, Mrs. Luke, worked together on the World War II unit.

• Commas set off words/phrases/clauses that introduce or interrupt

• Commas offset dependent clauses/phrases

• Commas separate words, phrases, clauses in a series

• Commas offset explanatory phrases (like appositives)

Commas are used to

• separate words or groups of words in a series of three or more

• set off parts of dates, addresses, and geographic names

• set off a nonrestrictive appositive

• separate clauses of compound sentences connected by coordinating conjunctions

• separate clauses when a sentence begins with a dependent clause

Give the rule that applies to the use of the comma in the following sentence.

Madison, an experienced statesman, became the fourth President of the United States.

• nonrestrictive appositives

• geographic names

• dates

• words in a series of 3 or more

Which of the following is the correct use of commas for the sentence?

• He served as a member of the Continental Congress vice president of the United States, and president.

• He served as a member of, the Continental Congress vice president of the United States, and president.

• He served as a member of the Continental Congress, vice president of the United States, and president.

• He served, as a member of the Continental Congress vice president of the United States, and president.

Give the rule that applies to the use of the comma in the following sentence. Madison fought against slavery, helped write the U.S. Constitution, and worked for passage of the Bill of Rights.

• nonrestrictive appositives

• geographic names

• dates

• words in a series of 3 or more

Which comma rule applies to the following sentence? 'The author, a Nobel Prize winner, wrote several bestsellers.'

• A) Commas set off introductory elements

• B) Commas separate items in a series

• C) Commas offset nonrestrictive appositives

• D) Commas separate independent clauses

Identify the correct use of commas in the sentence: 'She bought apples oranges bananas and grapes.'

• A) She bought apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes.

• B) She bought, apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes.

• C) She bought apples oranges, bananas, and grapes.

• D) She bought apples, oranges bananas and grapes.

What is an appositive?

• A) A word that describes a verb

• B) A noun or noun phrase that renames another noun

• C) A clause that modifies a verb

• D) A sentence that expresses a complete thought

Choose the sentence with the correct use of commas: 'The teacher, who is very experienced, teaches math science and history.'

• A) The teacher who is very experienced teaches math, science, and history.

• B) The teacher, who is very experienced, teaches math, science, and history.

• C) The teacher who is very experienced, teaches math, science and history.

• D) The teacher, who is very experienced teaches math, science, and history.

Which sentence correctly uses commas to separate items in a series?

• A) For breakfast, I had eggs toast and juice.

• B) For breakfast, I had eggs, toast, and juice.

• C) For breakfast I had, eggs, toast, and juice.

• D) For breakfast I had eggs toast, and juice.