Unsure about when to use coordinating conjunctions and commas with independent clauses?
Do you struggle with knowing when to add commas before coordinating conjunctions linking independent clauses? In this article I set out some guidance to help you navigate this sometimes tricky subject.
Before I proceed, let's look at some key definitions.
What is a clause?
A clause has a subject and a verb in it.
What is an independent clause?
An independent clause is one that can stand alone as a complete sentence.
What is a coordinating conjunction?
A coordinating conjunction is a word that joins two independent clauses together. The easiest way to remember the seven coordinating conjunctions is by the acronym FANBOYS:
F | for |
A | and |
N | nor |
B | but |
O | or |
Y | yet |
S | so |
In the following example there are two independent clauses which are highlighted. The subject is underlined and the verb is in bold.
I was hungry, so I went to the cafe.
The above has two independent clauses because both can stand alone as a sentence as follows:
I was hungry.
I went to the cafe.
But we have used the coordinating conjunction "so" to link them together and make them flow better.
Why is it important to know about independent clauses and coordinating conjunctions? We need to understand them in order to know where to put the comma.
Should I add a comma?
If two or more independent clauses in a sentence are joined by a coordinating conjunction, convention states that a comma should be placed before the coordinating conjunction.
In the following examples the independent clauses are highlighted:
Example 1: Lorna has a tutor, but he hasn't helped.
Example 2: I know a good electrician, and he can come on Monday.
The independent clauses could stand on their own as complete sentences and so a comma has been used before the coordinating conjunction, in line with convention.
However, in these examples, we could argue that the comma is not essential. Let's look at example 2 without the comma:
Example 2: I know a good electrician and he can come on Monday.
Has removing the comma distorted the meaning of the sentence? I don't think it has: the independent clauses are short and related. Therefore, we could argue that adding a comma here for the sake of convention is unnecessary. Some authors may choose not to put a comma before the coordinating conjunction in such an example, and a decent proofreader would not highlight it as an error simply because it does not follow convention.
Now let's consider a slightly more complex example taken from "The Body Farm" by Patricia Cornwell (p. 31) Warner Books 1995.
"He did not indicate that he had seen us, but I knew he had a gift for taking in the smallest details of his surroundings while seeming in a fog."
Again, the independent clauses could stand alone as complete sentences. Now let's look at the role of the comma here. I think it serves two purposes:
The sentence is longer and the comma allows the reader to pause before continuing.
Without the comma, we may start to read the sentence as "He did not indicate that he had seen us but I knew he had..." This distorts the meaning and as we continue reading it may be necessary to reread the sentence and "fix" the grammar ourselves. This is the last thing the author wants!
Summary
In summary, the convention of placing a comma before a coordinating conjunction is helpful and often necessary to give the correct meaning. But it should be used as a framework for guidance only. Sometimes it is acceptable to omit the comma - when the sentence is short; when the meaning isn't altered; when the comma interrupts the flow. Therefore, it's more important to be consistent in style.
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