Meaning & use

comma

noun·Academic

A punctuation mark (,) used to separate items in a list, clauses, or parts of a sentence for clarity.

See it in a sentence

Add a comma after the introductory phrase at the start of the sentence.

Without a comma, the sentence could be read two different ways.

A note on using this word

The "Oxford comma," placed before "and" in a list, is optional in most styles but can prevent ambiguity.

Words with a similar meaning

This term is best learned through its definition and examples.

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Make it your own

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