How To Use Comma Conjunctions

Notice the use of the comma when a coordinating conjunction is joining two independent clauses.

How to use comma conjunctions. Using punctuation in writing can be very confusing especially in longer sentences that also include lists of items. Let s start with a rule that everybody agrees on. 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. The general rule of thumb is not to split the sets up.

Using commas with correlative conjunctions. Only use a comma to separate a dependent clause at the end of a sentence for added emphasis usually when negation occurs. The rules for using a comma before and or any other conjunction such as and or and but depend on how the conjunction is used. This article will attempt to make this issue that so many inexperienced writers struggle with somewhat easier by presenting some rules and examples of correct usage of punctuation with conjunctions. Exceptions occur when the sentence structure is grammatically incorrect without the comma or there is a non restrictive clause in play.

Use commas to offset appositives from the rest of the sentence. Because it had been raised in captivity the rabbit wasn t afraid of humans. Commas don t have to be confusing. Use a comma to join two independent clauses when two standalone sentences or independent clauses are joined together using a conjunction e g and but or the conjunction should be preceded by a comma. It is often tempting to throw in a comma between a set of correlative conjunctions.

Here s another example sentence. This sentence contains a comma and a dependent clause because it had been raised in captivity and the subordinating conjunction is again because. Use a comma before a conjunction that joins two independent clauses an independent clause is a clause that could stand alone as a sentence. When you do put a comma before the final conjunction in a series it is referred to as a serial comma or an oxford comma despite the fact that it is recommended by the oxford university press style manual most writers of british english do not use it. 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.

Some examples are either or neither nor and not only but also. Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions that work together.