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Anonymous Posted 9 years ago
Grammar
Comma before and?
As I understand it, you should only use a comma before a coordinating conjunction when it joins two independent clauses. For example,
I went to the shop, and I then went to the cinema (correct)
I went to the shop, and then to the cinema (incorrect)
However, I constantly see sentences such as this:
We’ve also had the chance to build a deeper relationship with Satya and the Microsoft leadership team, and to witness the strategic and cultural shifts they are driving.
Because the second phrase following the comma + 'AND' does not contain a subject and is therefore not an independent clause, it would seem to be grammatically incorrect.
Could someone advise whether there is another rule about commas and coordinating conjunctions that allows the above example to be considered correct?
Many thanks
I went to the shop, and I then went to the cinema (correct)
I went to the shop, and then to the cinema (incorrect)
However, I constantly see sentences such as this:
We’ve also had the chance to build a deeper relationship with Satya and the Microsoft leadership team, and to witness the strategic and cultural shifts they are driving.
Because the second phrase following the comma + 'AND' does not contain a subject and is therefore not an independent clause, it would seem to be grammatically incorrect.
Could someone advise whether there is another rule about commas and coordinating conjunctions that allows the above example to be considered correct?
Many thanks
Top answer
That "rule" is flexible. An author may choose to insert a comma if he or she thinks it makes the sentence easier to read.
- That "rule" is flexible.
- An author may choose to insert a comma if he or she thinks it makes the sentence easier to read.
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5 Answers
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That "rule" is flexible. An author may choose to insert a comma if he or she thinks it makes the sentence easier to read.
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I agree, and I think that sentence reads much more easily with the comma.
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That seems like quite an arbitrary statement. Couldn't you use that argument for any exception to a rule (when it suits you)? Using that system, there would be no rules, e.g., "Well, *I* thought it made the sentence easier to read, so I just ignored all grammatical rules".
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While individual publishers may have firm rules about what they accept, there are no absolute rules about the use of commas in such situations.I prefer the comma. Others might prefer no comma. We are not going to go to war over this.
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AnonymousBecause the second phrase following the comma + 'AND' does not contain a subject and is therefore not an independent clause, it would seem to be grammatically incorrect.When you're talking about commas, you're not talking about grammar*. Don't confuse punctuation with grammar.
CJ
*Except perhaps in the matter of non-r
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