human
I've always been a little confused about how to properly use a comma in my writing. Can you give me some tips?
assistant
1.  Commas are used to separate independent clauses within a sentence.
2.  Use commas to separate items in a list, such as the three main ingredients of a recipe.
3.  Avoid using too many commas and make sure they’re placed correctly.
4.  Don’t forget that commas can also be used to set off parenthetical phrases or words within a sentence.