CommaReview

Use a comma between all items in a series.

My favorite colors are green, orange, and pink.I enjoy reading, shopping, and writing.

You also use commas in quotations!

“I want to go to the movies,” said Jane.

The comma goes INSIDE the quotation

marks.

Compound Sentences

An independent clause is a sentence that can stand alone.

Example: I went to the store.

A compound sentence contains 2 independent clauses.

(Independent Clause)

ExamplesI was sick, so I didn’t go to school today.

I was sick.I didn’t go to school today.

(Both are independent clauses.)

I went to the mall, but I didn’t buy anything

I love to read and watch television.*There is not a comma because it does not join 2

independent clauses

Appositive PhrasesAn appositive phrase follows a noun or pronoun

and describes or gives more information about that noun or pronoun.

An appositive phrase is set apart by commas.

Jack, the tallest boy in the class , volunteered to hang the poster.

Introductory Prepositional Phrases

An introductory prepositional phrase is found at the very beginning of a sentence.

The phrase begins with a preposition and ends with a noun.

During the last three summers, I worked at Target.

To separate two adjectives

It was a cold, snowy day.

The tall, handsome man came into the store.

You do NOT use a comma if one of the adjectives is a color or a number.

The three blind mice ran from the cat.

The girl wore a bright pink jacket.

Semicolons

When do you use a semicolon?

To join two independent clauses without a conjunction

It rained heavily during the afternoon; we managed to have our picnic anyway.

The word after the semicolon is NOT capitalized!

With conjunctive adverbs

(however, for example, therefore, instead)

Conjunctive adverbs are adverbs that join two independent clauses.

It rained heavily during the afternoon; however, we managed to have our picnic anyway.

There is a comma after the conjunctive adverb.

You can use a semicolon to separate items in a series if the elements of the series

already include commas.

Team 702 teachers are Mrs. Gruntmeir, math;

Mr. Toney, geography; Mrs. Wolf, science; and

Mrs. Coke, English.

Practice Sue was sad that they lost the game however

she was still proud of her team. ; ,

It was a cold rainy day but I still went to the park. , ,

Sally said “I want to go to the mall.” ,

James has been very sick he hasn’t been to school in a week.

;

Sally who was the oldest child had her own room.

, ,

Under the pile of clothes I found my other shoe. ,

“I can’t wait for Friday” said Jennifer. ,