Commas — The Rules That Actually Get Tested

The SAT tests specific comma rules, not "put a comma where you pause."

Rule 1 — Lists: A, B, and C. Oxford comma is standard on the SAT.

Rule 2 — Introductory phrases: "After the experiment, the team analyzed results."

Rule 3 — Non-essential clauses: "The senator, who was elected in 2020, proposed the bill." (Remove the clause — sentence still works.)

Rule 4 — No comma between subject and verb: "The tall student in the back row, studied hard" = WRONG

Semicolons: Connect two complete sentences. "She studied hard; her scores improved." Both sides must be independent clauses.

Colons: Introduce a list or explanation. What comes before the colon must be a complete sentence.

Dashes: Like parentheses — set off extra info. Must come in pairs unless at end of sentence.

Reference:

Wikipedia: Comma

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comma