Similarly, I was taught that the comma belongs after “So” in “So, you should see a doctor immediately.” As a result, for years I have put commas immediately after the coordinating conjunctions that began my sentences. In sentence A, there is no comma after well. When should a comma be placed after the adverb that starts the sentence? Starting with so. WhatsApp. Thus, determining whether a comma is … Don’t use a comma before the conjunction when the second clause can’t stand alone. Previous article What is the prefix for Place? … For example Good question considering the fact that many of us have been taught that it's wrong to start a sentence with a conjunction. (“I am a clumsy person. Use a comma after the … additionally . Apparently it's going to rain today. They deal with the number of words or phrases rather than the relationship between the words. The comma is unnatural in those sentences in which 'then' means something like 'in that case'. Place a Comma After Introductory Words and Phrases. Put a comma after the transition word. When to Use Commas After Restrictive Appositive Phrases. (6 answers) Closed 4 years ago. INCORRECT: After I got home I went straight to bed. Time clauses: After I got home, when I saw her, once I realized the time, etc. Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause. I made a cake from meat once. Well is an introductory word that a comma should separate from the rest of the sentence. And as a conjunction: Once you get there, call me. If a comma is/isn't needed, I would love a small brief explanation as to why. Twitter. When a comma and conjunction are used to combine sentences, the comma … A specific example that interests me (I am the … Home Q&A Is there a comma after the phrase ‘at this point’ when it... Q&A; Is there a comma after the phrase ‘at this point’ when it comes at the beginning of a sentence? When the introductory phrase is a restrictive appositive phrase, don’t use a comma to separate it from the main clause. accordingly. Thanks! (subordinate clause first, note the comma) Squiggly had to postpone the fishing trip because he woke up late. Transition Word List . Comma Rule #3: Use a comma after time clauses that introduce sentences. When should there be a comma when adverbs like well, seemingly, apparently, supposedly, definitely, surely, obviously, conclusively, possibly, indeed, actually, naturally and others start a sentence?. 3. although. Use commas to separate a non-essential phrase or clause from the rest of the sentence. Often so is used in a similar way as the last example, as a conjunction, but placed at the start of a sentence; The puppy was cute. So… Pinterest. The rules couldn't have changed. A main clause is something that could be a complete sentence by itself. While I was eating, the cat scratched at the door. Context is everything. Choosing the Right Word to Start, End, and Transition Topics. WhatsApp. And then, we come to using so at the start of a sentence. A sentence beginning with either “and” or “but” affects me just as negatively as the omission of a comma that joins two sentences, both such common practices on the CNN website and others. The rule today that many people get confused about is the rule about putting a comma after a prepositional phrase at the beginning of the sentence. So, basically, what you are asking is how to punctuate this sentence? Could someone please help to clear up the issue of placing a comma after 'so' at the start of a sentence. Before "then" when it separates two independent clauses. 1. Thank you in advance and sorry about being anon. That comma is a signal that the adverb modifies not the word that follows but the sentence or clause that follows. 2346. Use Commas to Set Off Clauses. Use a comma before the conjunction when the sentence halves can stand alone. What's the deal? This is the definitive list: Before a coordinating conjunction when it separates two independent clauses. Q. Some editors at my office believe the word so should always have a comma after it when it begins a sentence. 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. But in fiction, where "so" is used in dialogue, the comma after so is a matter of house style. Eventually, we will find a cure. admittedly . Common starter words for introductory clauses that should be followed by a comma include after, although, as, because, if, since, when, while. (The adverbial phrase "on Tuesday 4th July" sets a time, but it is not an introduction. In some cases inserting a comma after a prepositional phrase helps to clarify the meaning of the sentence. The sentence adverb isn’t attached to a single adverb, adjective, or verb—it doesn’t need to be physically close to only one particular word—so it usually comes at the beginning of a sentence and is set off by a comma. In the case of “and”, a comma implies that both parts of the sentence are equally important, while a full stop implies that the second part is just an additional “bonus”, something of interest but not as important as the first part. For my first trick, I will pull a rabbit out of a hat. In no way do I see these practices enhancing a writer’s expression; some writers love to hide behind poor punctuation, calling it their style. In others it's a grammatical necessity. It is also common to see so used for the same purpose but at the beginning of a sentence, meaning that the comma from our last example is replaced with a period like this: (3) I love grammar. Put the subject of the sentence after the comma. So, I try not to wear white on days when I will drink coffee.”) I believe so should be treated like and or but; they think it should be treated like thus.Yet they don’t use the comma if the clause is in the second half of a sentence. Brian Brian. “Thus” also has another meaning: “in this way”, “like this” (in which case it does not introduce a clause). Twitter. Here are examples of "once" as an adverb: Once, I made a cake from meat. When you use a conjunction at the start of a sentence, it makes much more of an impact. Can I still insert a comma after "then" in the second example? But as Edwin Ashworth notes (in another comment), there are times when a sentence may mean different things, depending on whether the author includes or omits a comma after one of those words. Another way to determine whether or not to use a comma is to split the sentence into two and replace the “so” with a period. Don't Use a Comma for an Adverbial at the Back of a Sentence When your adverbial is at the back, the tendency is to omit the comma. If, however, the subordinating conjunction (and its dependent clause) come at the beginning of a sentence, a comma must be used after the clause. Because she has always espoused … moreover. So, I research and write about it. Yesterday was her brother's birthday, so she took him out to dinner. Seemingly, she's gone to live with another man. Fortunately, the rules regarding commas after introductory prepositional phrases are fairly straightforward. In that sentence, so is a conjunctive adverb. Commas always follow these clauses at the start of a sentence. Pinterest. Are both forms acceptable, and it's just a matter of preference? Comma Rule #4: Use a comma to separate two independent clauses joined by a conjunction. The last example is not correct because “thus” cannot join two independent clauses. Facebook. There is, however, a subtle difference between a coordinating conjunction preceded by a comma and by a full stop (period). Apr 11 2015 18:21:25. fivejedjon; Comments . So, too, can one begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction once one knows how formal writing is meant to be constructed, and therefore where one can do so effectively. After all, you know what a comma is: the punctuation used to mark a division in a sentence, like the separation of words, phrases, a clause, or a sequence. Because Squiggly woke up late, he had to postpone the fishing trip. Before a coordinating conjunction when it separates an independent and dependent clause as an Oxford comma. The main clause can come first or last; if it comes last, you need a comma. 0. 2. as a result. a. Words to Show Contrast Words to Add to an Idea Words That Show Cause Words That Add Emphasis; however. Beginning sentences indiscriminately with coordinating conjunctions merely makes one sound immature. Answer: Sentence C is correct. I've seen with, thus: "So, you work here in town?" For me, the word so at the beginning of a sentence is a conjunctive adverb like therefore. Only use a comma … “Thus” is usually separated from the rest of the sentence by commas, but the commas are often omitted if this would lead to three commas in a row (as in the third example). above all . A comma should be used with conjunctions, such as 'and' or 'so,' when they're combining two or more complete sentences. 2. Anastasia Koltai-July 23, 2018. Example: When I went to the beach, I got a sunburn. Facebook. However, if a comma is placed after "once" at the beginning of a sentence it becomes an adverb. Is a comma needed after 'so' in this sentence: "So are you going to get it?" "So, I've just gotta call my husband to tell him his dinner's in the microwave, then we'll be on our way." When do we need to put a comma after “so” at the beginning of a sentence? And commas often accompany a conjunction , which is a word that connects phrases, clauses, or sentences (e.g., and , because , but , and however ) or any other words or expressions that provide a similar function (e.g., in any case ) . And I've seen without. "So, is he home?" Apr 11 2015 18:01:38. anonymous + 0. That's because it's not so much functioning as the word "so" usually functions (as a conjunction or adverb) as it is a sort of speech marker, almost like you'd use "um." So, I would use a comma in both instances. So, for our example sentence above, we would have either: This won’t surprise anyone who has known her for a long time because she has always espoused both liberal and conservative perspectives. commas. share | improve this question | follow | asked Sep 21 '16 at 3:56. OR. 3. The "so" isn't really required by the sentence, but it's the way people actually talk. If a dependent clause ends the sentence, however, it no longer requires a comma. So basically did he approach the problem, that there was no comma required after his introduction. So, I picked it up. If you omit the first word, the sentence means exactly the same thing. You can use the same three-part rule for a sentence with and, or, yet, and so. Use a comma after a dependent clause at the beginning of a sentence. Look at these two examples: A band played in the park for 8 hours on Tuesday 4th July. Ah, the good old days! If the two sentences work on their own, then the original sentence requires a comma because the two clauses are independent of each other. So, where do commas go in a sentence? In the case of so, this happens because the comma can indicate a difference between so in the sense of "as a result": So, we spent the night there. The comma separates the introduction from the rest of the sentence. CORRECT: After I got home, I went straight to bed. 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