Using a comma with 'given' / 'due to'

Question

Many kind thanks in advance to anyone who can answer the following question for me. Lately, I have started to wonder if the words such as 'given' and 'due to' are used to introduce a non-relative clause, thus requiring a comma accordingly. For example:

I think we should be able to reach our financial goals this month, given the change in the market.

We should try to invest in gold this year, due to recent increase in its value.

Are the aforementioned sentences punctuated correctly? If so, I think I need to revise my understanding of using commas with dependent clauses, which I thought we don't set-off with commas. Hmmm...I'm confused...

Best regards.

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

There is no absolute authority on correct usage of English. That is good because you can use common sense instead of such authorities.

postmodernblissI think we should be able to reach our financial goals this month, given the change in the market.

I wouldn't omit the comma in your sentence because month and given don't belong together. As there are hardly any inflections in English, the reader might be confused and initially think that this month given are a collocation which is supposed to have a meaning if there were no comma.

postmodernblissWe should try to invest in gold this year, due to recent increase in its value.

Whether you use a comma is a matter of preference. I find it needless as the sentence is perfectly intelligible even without the comma. However, if you think the reader should pause before the reason for investing is given, to slightly emphasise the reason, the comma serves that purpose well. I would add an article: a recent increase.

CB

Using a comma with 'given' / 'due to'

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions