In spite of well-liked trust, the laws for the usage of commas in a sentence don’t rely on what comes before or after a selected phrase.
Some other commonplace false impression is that you want a comma any time you may pause when talking.
The fact is that the aim of a comma is to supply readability to a sentence by means of disposing of any conceivable ambiguity or confusion.
In different phrases, to determine the proper means to use a comma with a selected phrase, you want to perceive what that phrase is doing in a sentence and why.
With maximum phrases, this implies finding out comma laws is an easy subject of finding out one or two portions of speech and how they may well be utilized in a sentence.
Some phrases, despite the fact that, are difficult, and will use commas in many alternative techniques.
Some phrases, like “and,” fall someplace within the center. On this article, we’ll take a complete take a look at the usage of commas before the phrase “and.”
Table of Contents
When to use a comma before “and”
There is just one state of affairs the place you all the time want a comma before “and.” Any time you utilize “and” to attach two unbiased clauses (portions of a sentence that stand on my own as an entire unit), you will have to use a comma before it.
In just about every other use of “and,” you don’t want to upload a comma, and in reality it’s regularly ungrammatical to accomplish that.
Puts while you will have to now not use a comma before “and” are when it connects two particular person phrases, when it connects two words (teams of phrases that don’t stand on my own) and when it is a part of a listing or collection.
There are two conceivable occasions that using a comma is both not obligatory or dependent upon your taste information. When “and” connects the closing two pieces in a listing, some taste guides require what is known as a serial (or Oxford) comma.
Different taste guides, corresponding to AP Taste, require you now not to use a comma on this case, alternatively.
After all, when becoming a member of two very brief sentences or unbiased clauses with “and,” the comma is not obligatory. That’s for the reason that meaning is obvious even with out the comma.
Concerning the phrase “and”
The phrase “and” is used to attach two clauses, words or phrases in some way that displays each are joined come what may.
You’ll see this phrase anyplace and all over, connecting the entirety from unmarried phrases to complete sentences to one some other.
One of the vital commonplace questions in regards to the phrase is whether or not you want to use a comma before “and.”
In the beginning, the solution turns out impossibly complicated. There are such a lot of other puts “and” can display up in a sentence, memorizing all of the combos is simply too tough.
Alternatively, as soon as you already know how the phrase is being utilized in a sentence it’s simple to determine if a comma is essential or now not. No memorization is needed!
Let’s take a deep dive into comma laws and the phrase “and.”
How coordinating conjunctions paintings
Technically talking, the phrase “and” is a coordinating conjunction, used to attach two portions of a sentence.
This is, “and” can be utilized to attach the rest from a pair of particular person phrases to a word or free staff of phrases, to two entire sentences.
Importantly for comma use, coordinating conjunctions are extensively utilized to attach two unbiased clauses or a dependent and unbiased clause.
Clauses are teams of phrases containing no less than an issue and a verb and, optionally, an object or different argument.
In simple English, a clause has to include an motion phrase (the verb) and the individual or factor doing the motion (the topic).
The not obligatory a part of the sentence is what’s being suffering from the motion phrase (the item).
As for unbiased and dependent clauses, the adaptation has to do with whether or not every clause can stand on my own.
If the clause is sensible on its own, it’s an unbiased clause. If you want the opposite clause within the sentence for it to make sense, you’re having a look at a dependent clause.
When “and” is used as a coordinating conjunction, it merely signifies that each portions of the sentence it connects are understood to be joined to one some other.
As an example, a bar serving “beer and wine” signifies that each are to be had.
Different examples of coordinating conjunctions are “however,” “or” and “so.”
To recap in short before we take a look at commas before “and,” coordinating conjunctions are simply phrases that display the connection between two portions of a sentence.
The usage of a comma before “and” when connecting two unbiased clauses
Should you’re feeling unsettled by means of all that grammar, take middle!
The truth is, there’s truly just one position the place a comma is needed before “and.”
When is that? It’s while you’re the usage of “and” to attach two unbiased clauses to one some other.
Be mindful, unbiased clauses are clauses that stand on my own. A just right rule of thumb is if you’ll be able to cut up the clause off into its personal sentence and also have it make sense, it’s an unbiased clause.
This rule additionally is helping with when to use a comma before “and.”
If in case you have a sentence with “and” in it, merely take away the phrase “and” and fake the portions of the sentence on each side are their very own sentence.
Do each the brand new sentences make sense?
In the event that they do, you’re coping with two unbiased clauses and also you for sure want a comma before “and.”
It’s so simple as that!
Examples
“I went to the ice cream retailer, and I ate six ice cream cones.”
It is a transparent case of 2 unbiased clauses or two clauses that may stand on my own. To turn out that, let’s spoil them out into particular person sentences:
“I went to the ice cream retailer. I ate six ice cream cones.”
It’s beautiful obtrusive that each new sentences make sense. That implies we want to put a comma before “and” on this instance sentence.
“I watched a video at the information a couple of guy who ran right into a cougar whilst jogging, and it was once a terrifying video.”
Through the similar rule as before, the “and” on this sentence is connecting two unbiased clauses.
The 2nd clause, “It was once a terrifying video,” is beautiful brief, however that on its own doesn’t mean it’s a dependent clause.
Since that is nonetheless an unbiased clause, you want to insert a comma between it and the opposite, longer clause while you’re becoming a member of them with “and.”
In each those instances, the comma is helping readers perceive the sentence simply. Like every commas, it’s there to upload readability.
Becoming a member of dependent clauses: no comma required
An unbiased clause, described above, is a clause that stands on my own.
A dependent clause, however, is a clause that calls for some other, major clause so as to be understood.
You’ll use the similar trick as above to establish dependent clauses. Merely take away it from the sentence and notice if it is sensible.
If it doesn’t make sense, it’s a dependent clause and also you shouldn’t use a comma to sign up for it to the primary clause.
Thankfully, you’ll be able to best use “and” to sign up for unbiased clauses.
That implies you don’t want to fear about dependent clauses when understanding if you want a comma before “and.”
All of the identical, it’s helpful to know that for different coordinating conjunctions, there are some instances while you shouldn’t use a comma before them even if they’re connecting two clauses.
Comma laws for different makes use of of “and”
However I digress. The naked minimal you want to know for the usage of a comma before “and” is solely as described above.
What about different puts when you’ll be able to use “and”?
The phrase is an easy one, however it has a large number of puts it might seem in a sentence.
If the trick above doesn’t fulfill you, learn on to to find out extra about those different makes use of of “and.”
The very brief model, despite the fact that, is that no different use of “and” completely calls for a comma, and in virtually all instances they’re ungrammatical.
Do you want a comma when connecting two words with “and”?
In contrast to a clause, which stands on my own as a grammatical unit, a word is a gaggle of phrases that doesn’t come with an issue and a verb.
“Head of cabbage?” That’s a word. “Twelve pink turkeys” may be a word.
If you wish to have to get technical, even “may be a word” may be a word.
Meta!
Critically, despite the fact that, words are simply teams of phrases that couldn’t be became a sentence by means of themselves.
Do you want a comma before “and” if it’s connecting two words?
You don’t. If truth be told, including a comma will make your sentence ungrammatical right here, so don’t do it!
Examples
“I’ll have ice cream and a bowl of chocolate chips, please.”
Right here, we now have two words which might be attached to shape a horny complicated object for our verb “have.”
The first word is “ice cream” and the second one word is “a bowl of chocolate chips.”
Either one of those are joined by means of the phrase “and” to display that the individual talking needs each.
There isn’t a comma before “and” right here as a result of commas are best used when connecting unbiased clauses. Since those are words, don’t use a comma.
“Let’s play golfing and pass dancing.”
Once more, there are two words right here. This time, we now have verb words, “play golfing” and “pass dancing.”
Despite the fact that the words are other portions of speech than before, they’re nonetheless words. That implies we will’t put a comma before “and” right here, both.
“And” to attach two phrases
As well as to words, “and” can attach two unmarried phrases.
That is arguably the most simple use of “and,” and it’s undoubtedly the only with the fewest phrases concerned.
Identical to with words, despite the fact that, the comma laws are the similar.
Don’t use a comma before “and” if it’s now not connecting two unbiased clauses.
It is going with out pronouncing {that a} unmarried phrase can’t be a clause, let on my own an unbiased clause. That implies if “and” connects two unmarried phrases, you’ll be able to’t insert a comma in entrance of it.
Examples
“My favourite animals are llamas and sheep.”
Llamas and sheep are each unmarried phrases on this sentence, so after we use “and” to display that the speaker likes each, we don’t use a comma to attach them.
If there have been a comma, our mind would assume “and sheep” was once the beginning of some other sentence, which might be disorienting.
As an example: “I love llamas, and sheep don’t.” Right here, “and” is connecting two unbiased clauses, and the meaning of our sentence is completely other.
When it comes to unmarried phrases, we will’t use a comma before “and.”
The usage of “and” in a listing
In some uncommon instances, “and” can be utilized to attach greater than two pieces in a listing or collection.
Technically, this isn’t truly a separate use of “and.” In spite of everything, the pieces the phrase is connecting are going to be both words, unmarried phrases, or clauses.
As it’s truly simply some other use of “and” in conceal, it almost definitely isn’t a wonder that the comma rule is similar.
Except all of the pieces within the record are unbiased clauses, you will have to now not put a comma before “and.”
Examples
“Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!”
On this vintage line from The Wizard of Ounces movie, the phrase “and” is forming a listing.
Even though it’s helpful to comprehend it’s a listing, that doesn’t impact the comma laws.
None of our pieces within the record are unbiased clauses, so we will’t put a comma before any of them.
“I love lions, and I love tigers, and I love bears as smartly.”
This may really feel like a curve ball, since we’ve simply stated you shouldn’t put a comma before “and” in a listing.
However let’s glance extra carefully at this case. All of the pieces within the record are if truth be told unbiased clauses.
To turn out that, you’ll be able to cut up them out into 3 separate sentences: “I love lions. I love tigers. I love bears as smartly.”
As a result of we’re now becoming a member of unbiased clauses in combination, we do want a comma before “and.”
In brief, the one factor we truly want to believe is whether or not “and” is becoming a member of unbiased clauses.
Whether it is, you want a comma. Differently, you don’t.
Are there any occasions when the usage of a comma before “and” is not obligatory?
To this point, that is all reduce and dry. (Realize how “and” connects two unmarried phrases there? No comma is used.)
Is it truly that straightforward?
For essentially the most section, sure, it’s.
To be honest, despite the fact that, there are if truth be told two occasions when the usage of a comma is an possibility.
Those two edge instances rely on what taste information you’re the usage of, so be sure that to take a look at with a trainer or different authority should you’re the usage of them someplace that issues, like on a paper you wish to have a just right grade on or should you’re handing over crucial file to your boss at paintings.
A comma war: “and” and the serial or Oxford comma
One of the vital brutal conflicts in all grammar has were given to be the serial comma, also referred to as the Oxford comma.
As we all know, one position you’ll be able to use “and” is as a part of a listing.
In maximum taste guides, that’s all there may be to it. You apply the traditional laws and nonetheless don’t put a comma before “and” until it’s becoming a member of two unbiased clauses.
Alternatively, others argue that it’s very important to come with a serial or Oxford comma.
In simple English, all that suggests is that those folks assume you want a comma before “and” when it’s in entrance of the last thing in a listing.
Differently, they are saying, all chaos breaks free, and it’s inconceivable to inform the actual meaning of a sentence.
There are some beautiful just right (and beautiful humorous) examples that turn out the purpose, however in fact that it’s virtually all the time conceivable to inform what an writer meant in response to context or different clues.
Because of this, maximum taste guides suggest that you just don’t use a comma before “and” on the finish of a listing until it’s differently inconceivable to perceive the sentence correctly.
The best factor to do here’s to learn the sentence aloud.
Does it make sense? Is it transparent what all of the pieces within the record are?
If the solution isn’t any, you may want to upload a comma before “and.”
Differently, until your taste information completely calls for a serial or Oxford comma, don’t upload one in.
Examples
“I’d like to thank my oldsters, Ayn Rand and God.”
It is a vintage instance of why a comma can also be helpful before “and” in a chain, and it’s regularly cited as an issue for the significance the serial comma. It’s almost definitely apocryphal (this is, now not an actual factor someone wrote), however it certain is humorous.
What’s the writer pronouncing right here? Is he pronouncing that his oldsters are the well-known thinker and writer Ayn Rand and God, the omnipotent deity of Christianity?
Or is the writer if truth be told pronouncing “thank you” thrice? If so, we may cut up this sentence up as: “I’d like to thank my oldsters. I’d like to thank Ayn Rand. I’d like to thank God.”
It’s beautiful obtrusive that no person in actual existence goes to assume the writer is actually God’s kid, which is what makes this case so humorous, however what if, as a substitute, we had fewer clues to pass on?
“I’d like to thank Mary, my mentor and my spouse.”
Is Mary the writer’s mentor and the writer’s spouse on this sentence? Or are those 3 other folks?
It’s utterly inconceivable to inform with out extra context, so that is one time the place you may want to use that serial comma to support in readability.
“I’d like to thank Mary, my mentor, and my spouse.”
Even though this sentence is somewhat ambiguous nonetheless (Is the word “my mentor” describing Mary, or are the ones two other folks?) it’s for sure an development.
In different instances, despite the fact that, issues are instantly transparent and not using a comma.
“I love water snowboarding, climbing and dancing.”
No one goes to assume climbing and dancing are in some way the similar factor on this sentence. That implies you don’t truly want the serial comma.
The base line is that until your taste information calls for a serial comma, or until a sentence is totally unclear with out it, you will have to skip the comma before “and.”
Very brief sentences and “and”
The different case the place comma aren’t utterly essential is if you have two very brief unbiased clauses being joined by means of “and.”
Even though it’s possible you’ll technically want one in response to the rule of thumb we’ve described previous, all of it is going again to readability.
In a brief sufficient sentence, it’s truly obtrusive what the meaning of the clauses is and how they relate, so that you don’t truly want the comma.
Once more, despite the fact that, in formal settings it’s best to simply put within the comma before “and” anyway.
Examples
“I love llamas and sheep don’t.”
Be mindful this case from previous?
The two unbiased clauses are “I love llamas” and “sheep don’t.”
Technically a comma will have to be used to sign up for them (“I love llamas, and sheep don’t.”), however it’s truly obtrusive what this sentence manner with out the comma so it’s protected to go away it out.
Conclusion: the only easy rule for commas before “and”
This text has hit on a large number of issues and used a large number of examples, so it’s possible you’ll really feel your head spinning.
Let’s end up by means of reiterating the one rule you want to have in mind for comma use with the phrase “and.”
That rule is that this: If “and” connects two unbiased clauses, use a comma before “and.” Differently, don’t.
That’s all there may be to it!
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