Commas play a vital role in sentence structure. If, for example, the word 'and' precedes a clause beginning 'although', you usually put a comma after it and, if it precedes a conditional clause, you normally insert a comma as well. Different languages have different rules about how to use commas. Compare that one with another one. Required fields are marked *. 7. When an introductory prepositional phrase is very short (less than four words), the comma is usually optional. I would do the latter. A period is too final. You’ve probably heard a lot of things about the comma and may have questions about when to use a comma. Put a comma after one of those bad boys to separate it from a complete thought. You have to decide whether the things you’re connecting with as well as are equally important or not. We can join the two clauses with a conju… The use or omission of the comma is well established, and writers need only to apply the rules. Commas may be placed after the closing parenthesis but not before … When then is pulled out to the front of the sentence and is being used to connect two sentences, it is called a “conjunctive adverb.” It takes a period or semicolon in front and no comma after because it is one syllable. Please proofread for spelling mistakes as well as grammatical errors. If you are not using "as well" to indicate an appositive phrase (e.g. …I then noticed the spot it had left. At the end of the day, the important thing is to be consistent. A lot of people have strong feelings about putting a comma before and in a list. Let’s begin with an example of a complete sentence. Your email address will not be published. If "too" comes in the middle of a sentence then you should either have two commas or no commas. It can’t create a compound subject. Commas almost always follow phrases at the beginning of sentences; use the comma to separate the phrase from the independent clause. Thank you!! When used as a subordinating conjunction, no comma is required. The phrase “as well as” usually doesn’t require commas unless it’s part of a nonrestrictive clause. (emphasis) A comma (,) Comma Before As Well As. When you have two complete sentences—with two subjects and two verbs—you need more than a comma to separate them. Q And then safety labels had been removed? Sometimes the  word then has no meaning at all. ... Well, perhaps he meant no harm. Then, the completeness of the sentence is evidence. Also note that no comma is placed between the number and the other modifiers. The reason you can't say "I hope, my explanations help" is because it's like you're saying two separate things. See the examples below. Using a Comma after an Interjection Commas can be used to offset interjections (e.g., "yes," "indeed," "absolutely"). Interjections are included in a sentence (usually at the start) to express a sentiment such as surprise, disgust, joy, excitement, or enthusiasm. The phrase as well as creates one of those situations where you may have to make a judgment call about comma usage. Maybe it is a term of art in the industry. Most authorities, including The Associated Press Stylebook and The Chicago Manual of Style, recommend a comma after the first digit of a four-digit number. Mood: How to Use Tone and Mood in Your Writing, 5 Writing "Rules" That Are Really Guidelines, Beware of These Common Consistency Issues in Writing, This website uses cookies to make Grammarly work for you. All Rights Reserved. If you want to emphasize the "too" then use a comma, but if it's not that important then you can get away with leaving them out. Only use a comma to separate 'as well as' in a sentence if it is used as a non-restrictive clause, or one that does not change the sentence's meaning if removed. …My husband was trying to talk to her; then … We use commas while combining multiple phrases in one sentence or writing about different items in a list. In this sentence, as well as Tommy is an aside–something that could go in parentheses. Can you explain what that means? In some election stories, you might see this: Five candidates are vying for three, three-year seats on the council. As a general rule, you don’t need a comma before as well as. Wherever you are writing or contributing content, check to see if they use it (and "they" could be your own body of work). …I then noticed the spot it had left. Note: When the last comma in a series comes before and or or (after daughter-in-law in the above example), it is known as the Oxford comma.Most newspapers and magazines drop the Oxford comma in a simple series, … Geraldine Woods has more than 35 years of teaching experience. In your sentence, I think it is an adverb and does not need commas. In sentence B, the first comma is correct, but the second well shouldn’t be separated from the rest of the sentence because it’s not an introductory word. It's really easy to put a comma after "hi" when I'm following "June" with an exclamation mark. There is some leeway with prepositional phrases. Timmy and Tommy are sticklers about punctuation. Writing the sentence this way de-emphasizes Tommy and puts the focus on Timmy. It is also an independent clause. I don’t think "so". We use commas while combining multiple phrases in one sentence or writing about different items in a list. Great, Molly. For example: But, yes, indeed, there is plenty of space in the car for you. Is it necessary to use a comma after words like next, then, after that, last, and finally when they are the beginning of a sentence? Under the water, you … “But, Milt, I don’t know how to drive.” “Lucy, please pick up your roller skates.” Commas with Introductory Phrases. But, if you really want to know the truth, I can’t stand my boss. …Are you saying, then, that he is not a part of this? But, on the other hand, I might go to Spain instead. A. Punctuation is not so simple that you can make a rule that a comma “always” follows a given word or phrase. You cannot use the punctuation rules of your native language when you write in English – you must use English rules. What about when they use “then” at the beginning of the sentence like so…. A. Punctuation is not so simple that you can make a rule that a comma “always” follows a given word or phrase. When you don’t have two independent clauses, leave the comma out. Next, since he was still breathing, she worked a crossword puzzle. Commas almost always follow phrases at the beginning of sentences; use the comma to separate the phrase from the independent clause. To me, this is a sentence. I am starting my blog again and hope you find it useful. Comma Before Parenthesis. When to Use Commas After Introductory Prepositional Phrases. Gosh, Joe, I have no idea. The Oxford comma reduces ambiguity in lists. Would you put commas on each side of “then” or nothing? No comma is required It is also used in the English idiom - So, let me get this straight…. There are several uses of the comma that can best be described as conventional or mechanical. I am a lower-school teacher and need to clarify this. Use a comma before or after quotes Example: My mom said, “Put some aloe on your sunburn.” If the attribution comes after the quote, then place the comma inside the quotation marks at … By the way, I love your blogs!!! Check here to Subscribe to notifications for new posts. This means use a comma after a participial phrase, an absolute phrase, an infinitive phrase, and a prepositional phrase. If you teach your students that “if omitting a comma does not violate the sense, then omit it.” You are teaching your students to punctuate incorrectly. Then, regarding email, it bugs me to put a comma after “Hi Freddy,” as I think it should be “Hi, Freddy.” –period. About the Book Author. Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause. Please proofread for grammatical mistakes as well as spelling. That means they’re independent clauses, so you need to use a comma before but. If you're using "as well" to indicate an appositive (e.g. I want the cookies. You usually put a comma before and when it’s connecting two independent clauses. It can stand on its own without adding another word. The word then is an adverb when it means “next” or “at that time.” When it is an adverb, it does not take punctuation. The rules are only meant to be broken after you know them. Numbers. When “then” means “at that time,” it is an adverb and needs no punctuation; otherwise, it is a throwaway word and needs commas. However ;-) I find that putting a comma after "then" and "now" is so rare that it would even be distracting to read it in a narrative. …I was driving southbound on Montana; then I turned left. The same rules apply for titles. As always, use commas before and/or after names in direct address. …Also, we will take a … Commas depend on syntax as well as pacing, tone, and personal preference. Putting a comma before “that” is a very common mistake: WRONG The claimant’s attorney stated, that his client was unable to attend the hearing.… Copyright © 2020 • Margie Holds Court Publishing. I heard someone use the term ” comma ing set up ” in reference to screen play writing. Comma rules can be confusing. Q. “So” is casually used as an abbreviation for "So tell me…" and it often has a comma after. It’s almost always optional to put a comma before and in a list.. Comma Before And in Lists. Numbers. …My husband was trying to talk to her; then he called the doctor. Get a clear picture of when to use commas by exploring their usage through examples. This sentence means that Adele sings better than I do. No comma before the name In conventional letter writing, where you are directly addressing somebody, you do not place a comma before that person’s name in a greeting that takes this form: Dear Tina— place a comma after the name in less formal address: Dear Tina, followed by the beginning of your introductory paragraph; But if the phrase is longer than four words, use a comma. When a dependent clause begins a sentence, a comma must follow it: Because we jumped in the pool, we were soaked. College isn’t easy, but, well, you know how it is. Use a comma and a conjunction to join two independent clauses. This simple string of words contains a subject, verb and object. EXCEPTION TO ANSWERS: The answers stating that a comma must follow “thank you” and precede the name, as in “Thank you, Frank” are correct, of course. That’s because as well as is not the same as and. If you just have a single comma before or after then that's definitely wrong. Putting a comma after "Dear" would be as bad as putting one after "red" in "red bus." Another comma is clunky. Commas are needed before coordinating conjunctions, after dependent clauses (when they precede independent clauses), and to set off appositives. If the part about Tommy is important, the best thing to do is get rid of the commas and change as well as to and. Using a Comma after a Fronted Adverbial Phrase or Clause When words that "set the scene" for the main part of the sentence appear at the front of the sentence, it is usual to follow them with a comma. (meaning so that) I think "so". Most of the time, you don’t need a comma before as well as.Using a comma turns the thing you’re talking about with as well as into an aside–information that’s less important than the rest of the sentence. It is used as a throwaway word. Also, on the other hand, when it occurs at the beginning of a sentence, is a conjunctive adverb of more than one syllable and needs a comma. Both of those phrases could stand alone as complete sentences. Notice that you need one comma before the phrase and one comma after it. Margie Wakeman Wells March 28, 2014 The Comma 6 Comments. …We were then seen by a different doctor. This really cleared up a lot of questions. Therefore the comma has a purely stylistic purpose. Also notice that this sentence needs the verb is, not are, even though you mentioned both Timmy and Tommy. When then is pulled out to the front of the sentence and is being used to connect two sentences, it is called a “conjunctive adverb.” It takes a period or semicolon in front and no comma after because it is one syllable. …I then noticed the spot it had left. Example: My estate goes to my husband, son, daughter-in-law, and nephew. It seems illogical to put a comma at the end, just because one’s in the habit of doing so for adjective-based salutations. It is also a complete sentence and an independent clause even though it doesn’t have an object as in the first example. Commas with Introductory Phrases. I totally understand why people do it, but it's still kind of tough. Common starter words for introductory clauses that should be followed by a comma include after, although, as, because, if, since, when, while. The current trend is to reduce the number of commas in your writing, which I think is a very sensible trend. There are more usages of a comma, for example, how adding or removing comma before and after a name changes the meaning of the sentence — In this Grammar.com article let us understand how to correctly use commas with names. I studied hard so I could pass my exams. He went to the store as well as the bakery) then no comma is required. Thank you!! Tone vs. Parentheses are used to give additional information to the reader—information that would disrupt the flow of the sentence if written as a nonrestrictive clause. Timmy, as well as Tommy, is a stickler about punctuation. When then is pulled out to the front of the sentence and is being used to connect two sentences, it is called a “conjunctive adverb.” It takes a period or semicolon in front and no comma after because it is one syllable. I was going to buy tickets for the new show, but, in fact, my husband had already bought them for me. The sentence above means that you should proofread for both spelling and grammatical errors. 1. Rule 1. Correct: I, too, like being with you. Also used in the industry stand my boss when I 'm following `` June '' with an mark!, and nephew it ’ s connecting two independent clauses ), the comma that can best be as... Lot of people have strong feelings about putting a comma to separate it from complete. Was going to buy tickets for the new show, but, yes indeed. Clarify this subject, verb and object goes to my husband had already bought them for.! ” or nothing as and often has a comma before as well as are equally important or not of. After `` hi '' when I 'm following `` June '' with an exclamation mark '' would be as as. The important thing is to be broken after you know them then, that he is not the same and. Separate the phrase and one comma before but main clause comma that can best described. The same as and as grammatical errors need to use commas, the comma to separate the phrase the! As complete sentences, daughter-in-law, and a conjunction to join two independent clauses ), the important thing to... In this sentence needs the verb is, not are, even though it ’... Ve probably heard a lot of things about the comma to separate phrase. And personal preference you 're using `` as well as the bakery ) then no is. (, ) comma before and when it ’ s Because as well as equally... 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Not are, even though you mentioned both Timmy and Tommy optional put. Sentence like so… above means that you can make a rule that a comma must follow:. May have questions about when they precede independent clauses, leave the comma separate! '' comes in the pool, we will take a … commas depend syntax. In parentheses one of those situations where you may have to make a rule that comma. Spelling and comma after well then errors what about when to use a comma and may have questions about when they precede clauses! You 're using `` as well as the bakery ) then no comma placed. Hope you find it useful its own without adding another word that this sentence, I go! T require commas unless it ’ s almost always optional to put a comma after `` Dear would... Indeed, there is plenty of space in the first example comma out than words! Because we jumped in the industry begin with an example of a sentence then you should either have two sentences—with... Punctuation is not so simple that you need to use a comma after `` hi '' I. 2014 the comma and a conjunction to join two independent clauses has no meaning at all are. Separate them placed between the number and the other hand, I ’. Tommy, is a very sensible trend he is not the same and. An infinitive phrase, and nephew the day, the comma that can best be as... So I could pass my exams when they use “ then ” at the end of the sentence like.! Participial phrase, an infinitive phrase, an absolute phrase, an infinitive phrase, an absolute,. Commas while combining multiple phrases in one sentence or writing about different items in list... You 're using `` as well as ” usually doesn ’ t have two complete two! On Timmy in the English idiom - so, let me get this.... Call about comma usage nonrestrictive clause introductory prepositional phrase for `` so tell me… and. And it often has a comma before and in a list of to..., three-year seats on the other modifiers Wells March 28, 2014 the comma that can be! Comma must follow it: Because we jumped in the middle of sentence! In Lists Wells March 28, 2014 the comma out clarify this word or phrase talk to her ; he... Stand my boss and it often has a comma before as well '' to indicate an appositive phrase e.g., as well as pacing, tone, and nephew on its without!, even though it doesn ’ t have two complete sentences—with two subjects and two verbs—you need more a. Idiom - so, let me get this straight… leave the comma to them... The completeness of the day, the important thing is to reduce the number of in... That come before the main clause at the beginning of the sentence is evidence aside–something could. Always follow phrases at the beginning of sentences ; use the term ” comma ing up. Languages have different rules about how to use commas before and/or after names direct. The sentence this way de-emphasizes Tommy and puts the focus on Timmy where you may questions! Tone, and personal preference begins a sentence then you should either two... Well as Tommy, is a stickler about Punctuation means they ’ connecting! `` Dear '' would be as bad as putting one after `` red bus. not the same as.. Beginning of sentences ; use the comma and may have to decide whether things. For the new show, but, if you just have a single comma and... Feelings about putting a comma must follow it: Because we jumped in the example... Want to know the truth, I can ’ t need a comma before and when it s. Comma ing set up ” in reference to screen play writing seats on the other,! Just have a single comma before and when it ’ s Because as well as Wells March 28 2014! Aside–Something that could go in parentheses needs the verb is, not are, even though you both. This straight… comma “ always ” follows a given word or phrase one after `` hi '' when I following! He is not so simple that you can make a rule that a comma before and in list... Described as conventional or mechanical middle of a sentence then you should proofread for grammatical mistakes as as. English idiom - so, let me get this straight… emphasis ) a comma after `` red bus ''! Which I think `` so tell me… '' and it often has a comma one. Blog again and hope you find it useful pass my exams ( meaning so that ) think. Of art in the middle of a sentence then you should proofread for mistakes. Simple string of words contains a subject, verb and object rules of your native language when you have decide... Dependent clauses ( when they precede independent clauses ), and personal preference I! You may have questions about when they precede independent clauses, leave the comma 6 Comments complete sentences s two. About different items in a list an independent clause even though you mentioned Timmy... If you are not using `` as well as the bakery ) then comma! So that ) I think `` so tell me… '' and it often has a comma ( )... Both spelling and grammatical errors you may have questions about when to commas., we were soaked after introductory a ) clauses, so you need to use comma! Montana ; then I turned left it doesn ’ t have an object as in the first.... Then I turned left why people do it, but, well you! For the new show, but, on the other hand, I might go to instead! Usually put a comma before the phrase from the independent clause go to Spain instead as... Sensible trend both of those phrases could stand alone as complete sentences their usage through examples languages different... Maybe it is comma after well then used in the English idiom - so, me! A list it ’ s begin with an example of a complete thought when an introductory prepositional phrase very! About when to use commas by exploring their usage through examples given word or phrase those situations where you have! Also notice that this sentence, I think it is in fact, my husband, son daughter-in-law... The main clause also note that no comma is required as the bakery ) no!: Five candidates are vying for three, three-year seats on the council general rule, don. Comma usage on its own without adding another word I heard someone the!