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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.
Commas and periods are the most frequently used punctuation marks. Commas customarily indicate a brief pause; they're not as final as periods. Rule 1. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. Example: My estate goes to my husband, son, daughter-in-law, and nephew.
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). When two independent clauses are connected by a coordinating conjunction, always use a comma before the conjunction.
The word comma comes from the Greek κόμμα (kómma), which originally meant a cut-off piece, specifically in grammar, a short clause. A comma-shaped mark is used as a diacritic in several writing systems and is considered distinct from the cedilla.
COMMA definition: 1. the symbol , used in writing to separate parts of a sentence showing a slight pause, or to…. Learn more.
Feb 23, 2022 · What is a comma (,)? A comma is a punctuation mark that represents a short pause and is used to divide parts of a sentence. A comma usually resembles a dot with a tail (,) and is placed at the bottom of a line of text or writing. The comma has many, many different uses and is often the punctuation mark that people have the most ...
Apr 19, 2023 · In theory, everyone knows what a comma is—it’s a pause between parts of a sentence. In practice, though, it can be difficult to figure out where commas actually belong. Here’s a quick, user-friendly guide to help you master the comma in your everyday writing.
A simple sentence contains only one independent clause and no dependent clauses. When a simple sentence contains a conjunction, you might be tempted to insert a comma before the conjunction, as you do with a compound sentence. With a simple sentence, however, the general rule is to omit the comma.
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 ...
Commas are used after the 'setting the scene for a sentence,' after a transitional phrase (e.g., 'however'), after an interjection (e.g., 'Yes'), before a conjunction (e.g., 'and,' 'but'), for parentheses (like brackets), after a long subject, in lists, and for direct address.
