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Jul 1, 2023 · But fear not! Below, you’ll find guidance for the trickiest comma questions. What is a comma? While a period ends a sentence, a comma indicates a smaller break. Some writers think of a comma as a soft pause—a punctuation mark that separates words, clauses, or ideas within a sentence.
Learn how to use commas correctly in English with this comprehensive guide. Find out the rules for commas in series, adjectives, clauses, phrases, and more.
- Commas to introduce a sentence. If you introduce a sentence with a transition word (e.g., however, hence, indeed, furthermore), follow it with a comma. However the model is not always accurate.
- Dependent vs. independent clauses. A clause is a group of words that contains at least a subject and a verb. Sentences are often made up of several clauses.
- Commas in compound sentences. A compound sentence contains more than one independent clause. The clauses can be joined by a semicolon, a colon, or a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so).
- Avoid the comma splice. Two independent clauses should never be joined by a comma alone. This error is called a comma splice. Model 1 was selected, it returns more accurate results.
Learn how to use commas to separate sentence elements, such as lists, dates, and clauses. Watch a video and read comments from other learners about comma rules and examples.
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- It's okay to use a comma before the word "and" when you're writing a list, and it's also okay *not* to use a comma! Different people have different...
- A quick and vague way to check for comma need is "do I naturally pause here when I read aloud slowly." Otherwise, there are quite a few rules you w...
- Using the comma can be very helpful to create effective writing.
- You may use commas to separate a sentence in dialogue from the addendum outside of the quotation marks, like your example. However, I wouldn't call...
- Dear Brian, That ^ is actually what is called a salutation, and since _Dear (Name)_ doesn't contain both a subject and verb it technically isn't a...
- Your first sentence is a run-on sentence (incorrect) because it has two independent clauses that aren't adequately joined. You can, as your second...
- A comma is too weak to serve as the ending of a sentence. A comma says, "pause a little". The other three marks say, "stop here."
- Your use of the comma is entirely correct. Read your example aloud and you'll hear the pause you make naturally. The comma there is a visible indic...
- Use a comma between items in a series or list. In a sentence, the last two items usually do not need a comma between them as they are separated by "and".
- Use a comma between three or more adjectives or adverbs. I like the old, brown, wooden table. He bought an old, red, open-top Volkswagen. He ran quickly, quietly and effortlessly.
- For two adjectives, use a comma where you could use "and". It was a short, simple film. (It was a short and simple film.) I have a big black dog. (I have a big and black dog.)
- Use a comma for numbers over 999. (In English, commas separate thousands and periods separate decimals. Note that some languages use the opposite system.)
Jun 6, 2016 · Courses on Khan Academy are always 100% free. Start practicing—and saving your progress—now: David and Paige introduce you to the superhero of the punctuation world: the comma! Practice this ...
- 4 min
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- Khan Academy
noun. the sign (,), a mark of punctuation used for indicating a division in a sentence, as in setting off a word, phrase, or clause, especially when such a division is accompanied by a slight pause or is to be noted in order to give order to the sequential elements of the sentence.
