0
Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

So followed by if

How to frame the sentence if 'so' is followed by 'if'?

For instance: He is rich, so if he were to get into trouble, he could buy his way out.

Or, must there be a comma separating 'so' and 'if'? He is rich, so, if he were...
  

Top answer

One "rule" regarding the use of commas in English is: if no pause is needed in speech, no comma is needed in writing. In your sentence, no pause is needed in speech after if. Therefore, no comma is needed.

— Cool Breeze

  • One "rule" regarding the use of commas in English is: if no pause is needed in speech, no comma is needed in writing.
  • In your sentence, no pause is needed in speech after if.
  • Therefore, no comma is needed.
  • CB
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.

3 Answers
0
One "rule" regarding the use of commas in English is: if no pause is needed in speech, no comma is needed in writing. In your sentence, no pause is needed in speech after if. Therefore, no comma is needed.

CB
0
0
Thank you, Cool Breeze. I understand the deal with pause. But my confusion is: one conjunction follows the other immediately in this instance. So is a pause (and hence a comma) necessary for that reason?
0
0
As I said, I don't pause when saying the sentence. If you do, by all means, use a comma. There's little point in getting a headache over minor things like this. There are countless things grammarians disagree on in English. Very often there is no absolute, definitive truth. There is no absolute, definitive authority regarding correctness.

CB
0

Related Questions