Punctuation & Capitalization

Commas

2 min read

Commas help organize your ideas. They show pauses, separate parts of a sentence, and keep things clear for your reader. Let’s look at the most useful rules — with simple examples!

1. Use a comma before and, but, or, so (if both sides are complete sentences)

He opened the window, and a bird flew in.
I studied all night, but I still felt nervous.

2. Use a comma after an introduction

After lunch, we went back to work.
During the meeting, I took notes.

3. Use commas in a list (three or more items)

I bought eggs, milk, and bread.
She likes singing, dancing, and acting.

4. Use commas to add extra (non-essential) info

My brother, who lives in Canada, is visiting soon.
That movie, which you love, is on TV tonight.

5. Use commas around appositives (extra info about a noun)

Paris, the capital of France, is a beautiful city.
My friend Sam, a guitar player, gave me a lesson.

6. Use commas in direct address (speaking to someone)

Emma, could you help me?
Thanks for coming, everyone.

7. Use commas in quotes

He said, “I’ll be there soon.”
“I’m tired,” she whispered, “but I’ll finish this.”

8. Use commas in dates, addresses, and big numbers

We met on June 4, 2023, in New York.
Send it to 22 Maple Street, Austin, TX 78701.
The prize is $10,000!

💡 Tip

🧠 A comma shows a pause or separates things.
✅ If a sentence sounds too fast or messy, check if it needs a comma!

Test your knowledge 📝

Question 1 sur 8Score: 0/8

Before the sun set we reached the top of the hill.

Discover the app: Shaky English

Join 100,000 people who are improving their English skills on the Shaky English app

Other similar rules

A bit of theory

The correct use of “anxious”

In everyday English, people often say they are anxious to do something when they actually mean they are eager or excited. However, these words do not mean the same thing. Anxious Anxious means feelin...

Common confusions

Past vs. Passed

“Past” and “Passed” sound the same but are used very differently in sentences. Let’s look at how to tell them apart — once you see the difference, it’s easy! 😊 Passed Passed is the past tense of th...

Conjugation

Much vs. Many

Much and many both mean “a lot of,” but we use them in different situations depending on the noun. When to use “many” Use many with countable nouns — things you can count one by one. How many bo...

Common mistakes

Conditional Forms (Zero, First, Second, Third)

Conditionals are used to talk about real or unreal situations and their consequences. English has four main types: zero, first, second, and third conditionals — each with its own structure and use. Z...

Conjugation

Articles: A, An, The

In English, articles help us show whether we’re talking about something general or specific. The main articles are a, an, and the. Sometimes we use no article at all — this is called the zero article....

Agreement rules

Misplaced Modifiers

A misplaced modifier happens when extra information is in the wrong spot in a sentence. This can confuse readers — or make the sentence say something funny by mistake. Example of a misplaced modifier...

Conjugation

Countable vs. Uncountable Nouns (e.g. informations, advices)

In English, some nouns are countable (we can count them) and some are uncountable (we treat them as a mass or whole). Knowing which is which helps you use the correct form of the verb, article, or qua...

Vocabulary

Apostrophes

An apostrophe (’) is a small punctuation mark that makes a big difference in meaning. It’s used for contractions, showing possession, and sometimes time expressions. Let’s look at how to use it correc...

Punctuation & Capitalization

Commas

2 min read

Commas help organize your ideas. They show pauses, separate parts of a sentence, and keep things clear for your reader. Let’s look at the most useful rules — with simple examples!

1. Use a comma before and, but, or, so (if both sides are complete sentences)

He opened the window, and a bird flew in.
I studied all night, but I still felt nervous.

2. Use a comma after an introduction

After lunch, we went back to work.
During the meeting, I took notes.

3. Use commas in a list (three or more items)

I bought eggs, milk, and bread.
She likes singing, dancing, and acting.

4. Use commas to add extra (non-essential) info

My brother, who lives in Canada, is visiting soon.
That movie, which you love, is on TV tonight.

5. Use commas around appositives (extra info about a noun)

Paris, the capital of France, is a beautiful city.
My friend Sam, a guitar player, gave me a lesson.

6. Use commas in direct address (speaking to someone)

Emma, could you help me?
Thanks for coming, everyone.

7. Use commas in quotes

He said, “I’ll be there soon.”
“I’m tired,” she whispered, “but I’ll finish this.”

8. Use commas in dates, addresses, and big numbers

We met on June 4, 2023, in New York.
Send it to 22 Maple Street, Austin, TX 78701.
The prize is $10,000!

💡 Tip

🧠 A comma shows a pause or separates things.
✅ If a sentence sounds too fast or messy, check if it needs a comma!

Test your knowledge 📝

Question 1 sur 8Score: 0/8

Before the sun set we reached the top of the hill.

Discover the app: Shaky English

Join 100,000 people who are improving their English skills on the Shaky English app

Other similar rules

A bit of theory

The correct use of “anxious”

Common confusions

Past vs. Passed

Conjugation

Much vs. Many

Common mistakes

Conditional Forms (Zero, First, Second, Third)

Conjugation

Articles: A, An, The

Agreement rules

Misplaced Modifiers

Conjugation

Countable vs. Uncountable Nouns (e.g. informations, advices)

Vocabulary