Comma crisis? See how you fare in this 10-question quiz covering a variety of comma situations!

Which of these sentences needs to have a comma removed?

If you keep giggling every ten seconds, I won't be able to finish my lecture on genitive case.

I won't be able to finish my lecture on genitive case, if you keep giggling every ten seconds.

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

If your sentence begins with a dependent clause (for example, "If you keep giggling every ten seconds"), place a comma after it. If you reverse the clauses, as shown in the second option, the comma needs to come out.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

The director of IT gave a _____________ speech.

long, confusing

long confusing

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

If you can put "and" between the two adjectives "long" and "confusing" and still have it sound okay, you need a comma.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

If you can put "and" between the two adjectives "long" and "confusing" and still have it sound okay, you need a comma.

Is this an acceptable use of a comma?

Israel did not arrive on time, his train stalled outside of Boston.

yes

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

The sentence consists of two independent clauses separated by a dainty, delicate little comma. They need something sturdier between them.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

The sentence consists of two independent clauses separated by a dainty, delicate little comma. They need something sturdier between them.

Is the comma before "therefore" correct?

They do not find the newsletter helpful, therefore, they have decided to unsubscribe.

yes

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

The comma before "therefore" should be a semicolon or period. The comma after is fine.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

The comma before "therefore" should be a semicolon or period. The comma after is fine.

In which of the following sentences were only some of the reports shredded?

John shredded the reports, which were from 2021 and 2022.

John shredded the reports that were from 2021 and 2022.

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

The comma plus "which" sets up what is known as a nonrestrictive relative clause. In the first sentence, all the reports were shredded, and it just so happens that all were from 2021 and 2022. The "that"-clause is a restrictive relative clause. It limits the set of reports to only those from 2021 and 2022. In the second sentence, there were reports from other years that were not shredded.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

In which of the following sentences did all the students get to go on a special field trip?

The students who passed their midterm were allowed to go on a special field trip.

The students, who passed their midterm, were allowed to go on a special field trip.

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

A "who" clause is framed by commas when it is nonessential information. The sentence with commas means essentially "The students were allowed to go on a special field trip and oh by the way they passed their midterm but you don't really need to know that because all the students were allowed to go on that trip."

The sentence without commas means there were students who didn't pass their midterm and who therefore didn't get to go on the trip.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

The sentence without commas means there were students who didn't pass their midterm and who therefore didn't get to go on the trip.

In the US, which would be correct?

Eldridge resented being called a "compulsive social climber," but he never told Jessica that he knew about it.

Eldridge resented being called a "compulsive social climber", but he never told Jessica that he knew about it.

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

However illogical it may seem, the commas go inside in American English.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

However illogical it may seem, the commas go inside in American English.

In which sentence are all the dishes dirty?

Being an indifferent housekeeper, Tim threw away the dishes that were dirty.

Being an indifferent housekeeper, Tim threw away the dishes, which were dirty.

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

If you see a comma plus "which," that means the "which" idea is not essential to the sense of the sentence. The idea here is, "Tim threw away all the dishes, and oh by the way, they were dirty."

That’s correct! Here’s why:

If you see a comma plus "which," that means the "which" idea is not essential to the sense of the sentence. The idea here is, "Tim threw away all the dishes, and oh by the way, they were dirty."

In the example below, should the comma after "hallways" be removed?

Items that are left in the public hallways, will be removed by the building.

yes

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

A longish subject ("items that are left in the public hallways") isn't justification for a comma break before the main verb.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

A longish subject ("items that are left in the public hallways") isn't justification for a comma break before the main verb.

You have 12 friends who are acrobats. Are the commas in the following sentence correct?

My acrobat friend, Tim Smith, is going to move to Cleveland next month.

yes

Incorrect, but never fear—an explanation is here!

If you had only one acrobat friend, the commas would be correct.

That’s correct! Here’s why:

If you had only one acrobat friend, the commas would be correct.

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