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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
The "because" conumdrum
Because is a conjunction. When a conjunction separates independent clauses, the conjunction should be set off with a comma:
George washed the dishes, and Mary dried them.
With the conjunction because, this rule seems to be haphazardly applied. The sentences below which I present as an example come from The New Fowler's Modern English Usage. Is there some rule that determines when a comma is used with because and when it is not?
She wept because she loved him. -- no comma
I know he committed suicide, because his wife told me. -- comma
She thinks I'm upset because I wanted Fred to spend the night. -- no comma
Mr. David Alton ... has told colleagues that he is very unlikely to accept a spokesmanship in the Social and Liberal Democrats because he profoundly disagrees with Mr. Paddy Ashdown, the party's new leader. -- no comma
George washed the dishes, and Mary dried them.
With the conjunction because, this rule seems to be haphazardly applied. The sentences below which I present as an example come from The New Fowler's Modern English Usage. Is there some rule that determines when a comma is used with because and when it is not?
She wept because she loved him. -- no comma
I know he committed suicide, because his wife told me. -- comma
She thinks I'm upset because I wanted Fred to spend the night. -- no comma
Mr. David Alton ... has told colleagues that he is very unlikely to accept a spokesmanship in the Social and Liberal Democrats because he profoundly disagrees with Mr. Paddy Ashdown, the party's new leader. -- no comma
Top answer
Anonymous Is there some rule that determines when a comma is used with because and when it is not? Even if there were a rule, not everyone would follow it. The problem stems from the ambiguity when there are two (or more) clauses before the because clause.
- Anonymous Is there some rule that determines when a comma is used with because and when it is not?
- Even if there were a rule, not everyone would follow it.
- The problem stems from the ambiguity when there are two (or more) clauses before the because clause.
- In these cases the reason for the existence of one of these situations is being explained, but which one?
- Often the because clause is stated without a comma when it explains the situation expressed in the clause that immediately precedes it, and with a comma when it explains something closer to the beginning of the sentence.
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1 Answers
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AnonymousIs there some rule that determines when a comma is used with because and when it is not?Even if there were a rule, not everyone would follow it. The problem stems from the ambiguity when there are two (or more) clauses before the because clause. In these cases the reason for the existence of one of these situations is being explained,
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