Show:
Terms
Comma or Not: That is the Question
Correct the Comma Misuse
Dates, Places, and Titles: Oh My!
Where Does the Comma Go?
100
This connects two or more independent clauses
What is a coordinating conjunction?
100
With expressions such as he said to set off direct quotations.
What is use a comma?
100
Life, can be difficult, but is good.
What is Life can be difficult but is good?
100
Please send my mail to Lee Smith at 904 Mills Road Tuscaloosa AL 35406.
What is Please send my mail to Lee Smith at 904 Mills Road, Tuscaloosa, AL 35406. pg.295
100
My mother a waitress at Deb's Diner brought apple pie and peach tea home.
My mother, a waitress at Deb's Diner, brought apple pie and peach home.
200
This was invented to help readers and cause pauses between sentence parts.
What is the comma?
200
With dates, after the year
What is use a comma?
200
One, corner of the attic was filled with newspapers, dating from the early 1900s.
What is One corner of the attic was filled with newspapers dating from the early 1900s.
200
On July 10 2001 my sister entered the world.
What is On July 10, 2001, my sister entered the world? Commas surround the year when used as above
200
My favorite foods are spaghetti ice cream and peaches.
My favorite foods are spaghetti, ice cream, and peaches.
300
List five of the seven coordinating conjunctions.
What is and, but, or, nor, for, so and yet?
300
With coordinating conjunction that joins only two words Ex: Ron discovered a leak and came back to fix it.
What is no comma?
300
Darwin's most important book On the Origin of Species was the result of many years of research.
What is Darwin's most important book, On the Origin of Species, was the result of many years of research. (Nonrestrictive appositive--renames a nearby noun "book") p. 292
300
He will turn 20 in January 2008.
What is Correct as is? No commas needed if only month and year used (or date is inverted) p. 295
300
Evolution as far as we know doesn't work this way.
What is Evolution, as far as we know, doesn't work this way. Parenthetical expressions, providing only supplemental information. pg. 294
400
This term describes a noun of pronoun whose meaning has already been clearly defined or limited.
What is a nonrestrictive element?
400
To separate a verb from its subject Ex: Zoos large enough to give the animals freedom to roam are becoming more popular.
What is don't use a comma?
400
The song "Everybody Dance Now" is perfect for dancing, and singing along.
What is The song "Everybody Dance Now" is perfect for dancing and singing along? (Song doesn't need commas at all because its a restive appositive--adds specific info we need. No comma after dancing since they are nouns not in a series or independent clauses.)
400
Melissa Parrish MD is appointed to the board of trustees.
What is Melissa Parrish, MD, is appointed to the board of trustees? If title follows a name set off title with a pair of commas.
400
Ed's house which is located on thirteen acres was completely furnished with bats in the rafters and mice in the kitchen.
Ed's house, which is located on thirteen acres, was completely furnished with bats in the rafters and mice in the kitchen.
500
When two or more adjectives each modify a noun separately, they are _____.
What is coordinate adjectives?
500
Before the first item or after the last item in a series Ex: Other causes of attacks are, stress, change in temperature, and cold air.
What is don't use a comma?
500
The next contestant, being five years old, the host adjusted the height of the microphone.
What is The next contestant being five years old, the host adjusted the height of the microphone? Do not insert a comma between the noun and participle in an absolute phrase, which modifies the whole sentence and includes a participle (verb turned into an adjective or noun) pg. 294
500
This is the general rule for use of commas in numbers.
What is In numbers more than four digits long, use commas to separate the numbers into groups of three, starting from the right. In numbers four digits long, a comma is optional. Pg. 296
500
Stephen ordered a rich chocolate cake but Cara ordered a big juicy orange.
Stephen ordered a rich chocolate cake, but Cara ordered a big, juicy orange.