At 1:26 David writes ", and seaweed!". I've been taught that you can't use a comma before "and", so I'm very confused. Is it okay to use a comma (,) before "and"?

It's okay to use a comma before the word "and" when you're writing a list, and it's also okay *not* to use a comma! Different people have different opinions about this, and both options are completely correct. We have a video called BONUS: The Oxford comma that explains this in more detail!

Can someone explain to me how the comma works? I get a lot of C/s in my essays and I would like to master the comma.

A quick and vague way to check for comma need is "do I naturally pause here when I read aloud slowly." Otherwise, there are quite a few rules you would have to memorize.

is it a good thing to use the comma

Using the comma can be very helpful to create effective writing.

Can no sentences be ended with a comma or can a speech sentence be ended with a comma. ex. "I want chocolate," said George. Do I end speech sentences with commas or periods?

You may use commas to separate a sentence in dialogue from the addendum outside of the quotation marks, like your example. However, I wouldn't call that comma a definitive end to a sentence; it's more of a separator. The actual end of the sentence you gave would be the period after George. If your dialogue doesn't have the addendum (e.g. George said), then you'd have to change the comma to a period (e.g. "I want chocolate.").

At 2:56 Paige said, "_So, commas can't go at the end of a sentance_" But, in the greeting of a letter, you would write _Dear (Name),_ With a comma at the end, I'm confused...

Dear Brian, That ^ is actually what is called a salutation, and since _Dear (Name)_ doesn't contain both a subject and verb it technically isn't a sentence, which is why it requires that comma. Think about it like a modifier to the sentence that comes after it. "Dear Nancy, I really enjoyed that cheese you sent!" I hope this helps! :)

Is it necessary to use Comma between that sentence; "I want to swimming and then sailing."

It isn't necessary, but it isn't wrong either. You could say "I went swimming and then sailing" but if you wanted a pause somewhere in the sentence, you could say "I went swimming, and then sailing."

Can you also use the comma to do a direct address? Like "David, do your homework."

Your use of the comma is entirely correct. Read your example aloud and you'll hear the pause you make naturally. The comma there is a visible indicator of that oral pause.

Say I said "I want to go to game stop, then I will go to Walmart" or should I say "I want to go to game stop. Then I will go to Walmart" which one is right?

Your first sentence is a run-on sentence (incorrect) because it has two independent clauses that aren't adequately joined. You can, as your second example correctly does, separate the clauses to form separate sentences. Other options to write that correctly include: I want to go to Game Stop, and then I will go to Walmart. I want to go to Game Stop; then I will go to Walmart.

Main content

Grammar

Course: Grammar > Unit 6

Lesson 1: Introduction to commas

Meet the comma

Name: Meet the comma
Uploaded: 2016-06-06T23:42:44Z
Description: David and Paige introduce you to the superhero of the punctuation world: the comma! Practice this yourself on Khan Academy right now:

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David and Paige introduce you to the superhero of the punctuation world: the comma! Practice this yourself on Khan Academy right now:

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pinkpuppy22
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to pinkpuppy22's post “At 1:26 David writes ", a...”
At
1:26
David writes ", and seaweed!". I've been taught that you can't use a comma before "and", so I'm very confused. Is it okay to use a comma (,) before "and"?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on pinkpuppy22's post “At 1:26 David writes ", a...”
(40 votes)
Answer
- Paige Finch
  Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Paige Finch's post “It's okay to use a comma ...”
  It's okay to use a comma before the word "and" when you're writing a list, and it's also okay not to use a comma! Different people have different opinions about this, and both options are completely correct. We have a video called BONUS: The Oxford comma that explains this in more detail!
  Comment on Paige Finch's post “It's okay to use a comma ...”
  (32 votes)
Blaze Runner™
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Blaze Runner™'s post “Can someone explain to me...”
Can someone explain to me how the comma works? I get a lot of C/s in my essays and I would like to master the comma.
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Blaze Runner™'s post “Can someone explain to me...”
(7 votes)
Answer
- Melody Linecker
  Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Melody Linecker's post “A quick and vague way to ...”
  A quick and vague way to check for comma need is "do I naturally pause here when I read aloud slowly." Otherwise, there are quite a few rules you would have to memorize.
  Comment on Melody Linecker's post “A quick and vague way to ...”
  (18 votes)
Colton J. LIttle
Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Colton J. LIttle's post “is it a good thing to use...”
is it a good thing to use the comma
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Colton J. LIttle's post “is it a good thing to use...”
(5 votes)
Answer
- Jonas Hamilton
  Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Jonas Hamilton's post “Using the comma can be ve...”
  Using the comma can be very helpful to create effective writing.
  Comment on Jonas Hamilton's post “Using the comma can be ve...”
  (8 votes)
Jocelyn
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Jocelyn's post “Can no sentences be ended...”
Can no sentences be ended with a comma or can a speech sentence be ended with a comma. ex. "I want chocolate," said George. Do I end speech sentences with commas or periods?
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Jocelyn's post “Can no sentences be ended...”
(5 votes)
Answer
- Courteney
  Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Courteney's post “You may use commas to sep...”
  You may use commas to separate a sentence in dialogue from the addendum outside of the quotation marks, like your example. However, I wouldn't call that comma a definitive end to a sentence; it's more of a separator. The actual end of the sentence you gave would be the period after George. If your dialogue doesn't have the addendum (e.g. George said), then you'd have to change the comma to a period (e.g. "I want chocolate.").
  Comment on Courteney's post “You may use commas to sep...”
  (8 votes)
David Izaguirre
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to David Izaguirre's post “I hate when teachers make...”
I hate when teachers make you watch a video about something you already know
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(6 votes)
Answer
Brian Wei
Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Brian Wei's post “At 2:56 Paige said, "_So,...”
At
2:56
Paige said, "So, commas can't go at the end of a sentance" But, in the greeting of a letter, you would write Dear (Name), With a comma at the end, I'm confused...
Button navigates to signup pageComment on Brian Wei's post “At 2:56 Paige said, "_So,...”
(5 votes)
Answer
- Sophia Elsass
  Posted 4 years ago. Direct link to Sophia Elsass's post “Dear Brian, That ^ is ac...”
  Dear Brian,
  
  That ^ is actually what is called a salutation, and since Dear (Name) doesn't contain both a subject and verb it technically isn't a sentence, which is why it requires that comma.
  Think about it like a modifier to the sentence that comes after it.
  "Dear Nancy, I really enjoyed that cheese you sent!"
  
  I hope this helps! :)
  Comment on Sophia Elsass's post “Dear Brian, That ^ is ac...”
  (5 votes)
ws27169
Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to ws27169's post “Can you also use the comm...”
Can you also use the comma to do a direct address? Like "David, do your homework."
Button navigates to signup pageComment on ws27169's post “Can you also use the comm...”
(3 votes)
Answer
- David Alexander
  Posted 3 years ago. Direct link to David Alexander's post “Your use of the comma is ...”
  Your use of the comma is entirely correct. Read your example aloud and you'll hear the pause you make naturally. The comma there is a visible indicator of that oral pause.
  Comment on David Alexander's post “Your use of the comma is ...”
  (8 votes)
fayyaz abbas
Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to fayyaz abbas's post “Is it necessary to use Co...”
Is it necessary to use Comma between that sentence;
"I want to swimming and then sailing."
Button navigates to signup pageComment on fayyaz abbas's post “Is it necessary to use Co...”
(4 votes)
Answer
- Eden
  Posted 7 years ago. Direct link to Eden's post “It isn't necessary, but i...”
  It isn't necessary, but it isn't wrong either. You could say "I went swimming and then sailing" but if you wanted a pause somewhere in the sentence, you could say "I went swimming, and then sailing."
  Comment on Eden's post “It isn't necessary, but i...”
  (5 votes)
blosc1
Posted a year ago. Direct link to blosc1's post “hey how do you know to ad...”
hey how do you know to ad a comma
Button navigates to signup pageComment on blosc1's post “hey how do you know to ad...”
(6 votes)
Answer
- Nihar Rawal
  Posted 5 months ago. Direct link to Nihar Rawal's post “When you need to pause in...”
  When you need to pause in your sentence. An example is "I like vanilla icecream, but my friend prefers chocolate icecream".
  Button navigates to signup page
  (1 vote)
999513
Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to 999513's post “Say I said "I want to go ...”
Say I said "I want to go to game stop, then I will go to Walmart" or should I say "I want to go to game stop. Then I will go to Walmart" which one is right?
Button navigates to signup pageButton navigates to signup page
(2 votes)
Answer
- Johanna
  Posted 2 years ago. Direct link to Johanna's post “Your first sentence is a ...”
  Your first sentence is a run-on sentence (incorrect) because it has two independent clauses that aren't adequately joined. You can, as your second example correctly does, separate the clauses to form separate sentences. Other options to write that correctly include:
  
  I want to go to Game Stop, and then I will go to Walmart.
  I want to go to Game Stop; then I will go to Walmart.
  Button navigates to signup page
  (8 votes)

Video transcript

- [Voiceover] Hello grammarians. Today Paige and I are going to teach you all about your new best friend, the comma. It is a piece of punctuation that has many many functions. We're just going to broadly overview them today. The comma is an extremely powerful piece of punctuation, can do a whole bunch of stuff. So Paige, what is the most pertinent or important thing that the comma does? - [Voiceover] I would probably say that it is separating sentence elements. - [Voiceover] So that's like its broad super-power-- - [Voiceover] Exactly. - [Voiceover] But lots of stuff falls under that. So it's like it has laser vision but it can not only use that laser vision to boil water, but it can also cut through steel. - [Voiceover] Exactly. - [Voiceover] So this is a superhero punctuation mark. I'll make that into a C for comma. So okay, so how is the comma going to save the day today? How's it going to make our sentences make sense? What are some of the things that it separates? - [Voiceover] So it can separate elements of lists. - [Voiceover] For lunch I had tofu, spam, and seaweed. A very Hawai'ian lunch. - [Voiceover] Mm-hm, delicious. - [Voiceover] So it's separating these elements of this list. I guess commas can also separate dates. - [Voiceover] That's right. - [Voiceover] So for example, here in the United States, National Blueberry Muffin Day is July 11th, and if we wanted to refer to a historical blueberry muffin day, let's say July 11th, 1981. - [Voiceover] Wow. - [Voiceover] It was the best muffin day ever. - [Voiceover] I wish I could have been around for that. - [Voiceover] Yeah, okay, so a comma can separate lists and it can be used for dates, and we can also set off things at the beginning of sentences, like basically, everything is great. The comma has a bunch of different functions. It's this super-useful multi-tool. It's the superhero of a piece of punctuation. So we're not going to cover all of that in this video. The most important thing to remember about the comma is what it does is separate sentence elements. It can separate clauses, it can separate items in a list, it can separate dates. Usually, when you're trying to make a separation within a sentence, you use a comma. So Paige, so what are some things that commas can't do? - [Voiceover] That's a great question. So, commas can't go at the end of a sentence. - [Voiceover] Okay, so I couldn't be like, I want to go swimming comma. It couldn't end a sentence that way. - [Voiceover] Right, you need to say something after the comma. - [Voiceover] So this is no good. Or you have to keep going, like I'm going to go swimming, and then sailing. And end it with a period, like that. That's totally fine usage for a comma. If it's in the middle of a sentence but not at the end of a sentence. - [Voiceover] Right. - [Voiceover] Okay, so commas only go in the middle. - [Voiceover] Yeah. - [Voiceover] So comma separates stuff which therefore means it has to be in-between something. - [Voiceover] Right, there has to be something to the left and something to the right. - [Voiceover] Cool, all right. That's a comma-- - [Voiceover] Yeah-- - [Voiceover] Wouldn't you say? - [Voiceover] I think we have successfully met the comma. - [Voiceover] Cool, you can learn anything. David out. - [Voiceover] Paige out.