IXL | Commas: review | 11th grade language arts

Correct the text by inserting or removing commas. There should be a total of one comma. (Note: in this skill, serial commas are not optional.)

After James Cameron saw Star Wars, he quit his job as a truck driver, and became a filmmaker.

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Correct the text by inserting or removing commas. There should be a total of two commas. (Note: in this skill, serial commas are not optional.)

Elephants, unlike most other mammals are unable to, jump with all feet off the ground.

key idea

Series

Use commas to separate three or more items in a series. The last comma in the list, right before the coordinating conjunction, is called an Oxford comma or serial comma. The serial comma is sometimes considered optional, but most American style guides require it.

Red, white, and blue are the colors of the American flag.

Expressions that consist of pairs of words, such as "thunder and lightning" and "bread and butter," are generally treated as single items.

College costs typically include tuition, room and board, and textbooks.

Dates

In dates with a month, day, and year, use commas to set off the year.

January 1, 2001, was the first day of this century.

Mahatma Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869.

Places

When the name of a city is used with the name of its state or country, use commas to set off the state or country name.

Chicago, Illinois, is known as the Windy City.

We've just booked our flight to Athens, Greece.

Compound sentences

Use a comma to separate two complete sentences that are joined with a coordinating conjunction, such as and, or, but, or so.

We saw a flash of lightning, and seconds later we heard the rumble of thunder.

When a coordinating conjunction joins something else, such as noun, verb, or adverb phrases, do not use a comma. As a rule of thumb, use a comma only if there is both a subject and a verb following the coordinating conjunction.

Annie hurt her leg during a race and had to sit out the rest of the season.

Complex sentences

If a dependent clause is followed by a complete sentence, use a comma after the dependent clause. These dependent clauses usually start with a subordinating conjunction, such as after, although, as, because, before, if, since, unless, until, when, or while.

If she ever gets the chance, Terri would love to visit the Egyptian pyramids.

Compound-complex sentences

The above rules apply for compound-complex sentences, too.

Before the plane took off, we buckled our seatbelts, and the flight attendants gave safety instructions.

Max sprinted to the bus stop, and if he had been just a minute later, he would have missed the bus.

Mild interjections and introductory words

Use a comma after mild interjections, as well as words like yes, no, well, and however, when they are followed by a complete sentence.

Oh, the sunset is so beautiful.

Yes, that sounds great!

Introductory phrases

Use a comma after most introductory phrases—such as participle phrases, infinitive phrases, and long prepositional phrases—when they are followed by a complete sentence. (Commas are not usually necessary after short prepositional phrases of one or two words.)

In just a few weeks, Mr. Chen will be leaving for his trip to France.

Breathing heavily, Maddie sprinted the last few meters of the race.

Absolute phrases

Use commas to set off absolute phrases. An absolute phrase usually consists of a noun followed by a participle phrase, adjective phrase, or other modifier.

Hands shaking, Tony opened the letter and read it aloud.

Amanda rushed inside the house, her clothes already wet from the rain.

Direct addresses

Use commas to set off the name of a person being spoken to.

Bella, thank you.

Thank you, Bella, for your help.

Interrupters

Use commas to set off interrupters, which are words, phrases, or clauses that interrupt the sentence with extra, or parenthetical, information.

You, of course, may have a different opinion.

The new theme park won't open, I'm sorry to say, until next year.

Antithetical phrases

Use commas to set off phrases that use the words not or unlike to qualify adjacent text.

Alexander the Great was Macedonian, not Greek.

Tara, unlike Megan, finds chemistry fascinating.

Coordinate adjectives

Use a comma to separate a pair of coordinate adjectives. Coordinate adjectives are adjectives that describe the same noun equally. You can tell that a pair of adjectives are coordinate if the text still sounds okay when the adjective order is changed as well as when and is inserted.

Victor walked carefully down the slick, icy sidewalk.

Victor walked carefully down the icy, slick sidewalk.

Victor walked carefully down the slick and icy sidewalk.

solution

The phrase unlike most other mammals uses the word unlike to qualify adjacent text. Set off the phrase with commas.

Elephants, unlike most other mammals, are unable to jump with all feet off the ground.

No other commas are needed.

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Work it out

Not feeling ready yet? These can help:

GG.1Commas with direct addresses, introductory elements, absolute phrases, interjections, interrupters, and antithetical phrases

GG.2Commas with series, dates, and places

GG.3Commas with compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences

GG.4Commas with coordinate adjectives

LL.5Commas: review

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