0
New Hope Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Comma after 'but'

Please explain the use of a comma preceding 'but' in a sentence..
  

Top answer

haroon rashid Please explain the use of a comma preceding 'but' in a sentence.. There is no requirement to put a comma before every 'but' in every sentence. Which sentence are you talking about?

— CalifJim

  • haroon rashid Please explain the use of a comma preceding 'but' in a sentence..
  • There is no requirement to put a comma before every 'but' in every sentence.
  • Which sentence are you talking about?
  • Maybe you'll need a comma, and maybe you won't.
  • CJ
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

13 Answers
0
haroon rashid Please explain the use of a comma preceding 'but' in a sentence..
There is no requirement to put a comma before every 'but' in every sentence.

Which sentence are you talking about? Maybe you'll need a comma, and maybe you won't.

CJ
0
0
It is not the matter of one or two sentences. I wanted to know the basic rule to put a comma before 'but'. Below are three sentences from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Please explain the use or omission of commas in each sentence.

I got it wrong. It wasn't the red one but the blue one.
His mother won't be there, but his father might.
It isn't that he lied exactly, but
0
0
haroon rashidPlease explain the use or omission of commas in each sentence.
Oh, I see what you're getting at.

If you have a full clause after 'but', including a subject, then use the comma.

I got it wrong. It wasn't the red one but [no subject in here] the blue one.
His mother won't be there,
0
0
haroon rashid
1. It wasn't the red one but the blue one.
2. His mother won't be there, but his father might.
The comma would be needed here to set off phrases that express contrast. However, some writers (myself included) will leave out the comma that sets off a contrasting phrase beginning with
0
0
Is it ok to put a comma before 'but' in the sentence below?
The people of Merv put up a brave resistance, but constant stone-throwing by Mongols broke the main wall and they entered the city.
0
0
haroon rashidIs it ok to put a comma before 'but' in the sentence below?The people of Merv put up a brave resistance, but constant stone-throwing by Mongols broke the main wall and they entered the city.
The rule is simple, and it is one of the basic rules of English punctuation. As Strunk put it: "Place a comma before and or but introducing an i
0
0
I am confuse about some the answer on here. It would be great if you can clarify. Thanks.
CalifJimI got it wrong. It wasn't the red one but [no subject in here] the blue one.
Isn't the blue one the subject in sentence one?
CalifJimHis mother won't be there, but his father might.
CalifJimIf y
0
0
phxsunstoonow can you consider "his father might" to be a full clause without a real verb? My understanding is might cannot stand alone as the active verb. Please explain.
Good question. It sure looks like "might" is being used as a predicate there, and a case could be made for that, but the way I see it, "be" is tacit: His mother won't be there, but his fathe
0

Related Questions