Can you put a comma before because

An exception can and should be made when the lack of a comma would cause ambiguity. Try Grammarly for free. Because has a straightforward job to do in the English language. There should generally be no comma between the two. Michael went to the forest, because he loves walking among the trees. Michael went to the forest because he loves walking among the trees. With positive statements, the comma doesn't change the meaning. I ran because I was afraid. I ran, because I was afraid.

I ran—because I was afraid. I ran. Because I was afraid. Alternatively, a comma can be used if it's a conjunction that immediately follows it rather than because itself: I ran, but not because I was afraid. I ran, but only because I was late. Improve this answer. Jason Bassford Jason Bassford The most common error with commas is to use one for a pause. Charles Charles 2 2 bronze badges. Your "answer" would make a good comment.

Harris did not lose because she changed her position on a key issue. Because the reader may not realize the significance of the absent comma, it may be better to reword these sentences to make the meaning completely clear: It was not out of fear that the cat went into the shed. Search by related themes. Grammar and syntax Punctuation Commas. Report a problem or mistake on this page.

Please select all that apply: Something is broken. It has a spelling or grammar mistake. The information is wrong. Clearly I am not a good writer , because I just botched the word order of Systemic Functional Grammar. It leads to what I call Overwriting. In each of those statements, my reading of them would not be hampered if the commas were left out. Anyway, it all seems like a bunch of anal retentive nonsense to me.

The fact that there is rampant disagreement on this matter leaves only one conclusion: whatever you do, just be consistent, for you can never please everybody. Strangely, a comma seems necessary there[,] regardless of word choice. Oh dear. Still, I may be going to grammatical hell. In transcribing and closed-captioning reality television shows in which, alas, people rarely speak with grammar in mind , I use the following determination for when to use a comma which generally corresponds with a difference in cadence :.

In a debrief which is recorded after the event, but in which the event is described in present tense , Brandon could say. It is easy, if you are joining two complete sentences and are using because in the middle, use a comma. If the second portion after because is not complete for example, no comma. I am going to the store. I like to go often. Two complete sentences. I am going to the store, because I like to go often.

One sentence. Of the wonderful things he does. Not a sentence. I agree with Mario. I drove to the store and bought a bottle of wine. I drove to the store, and Sam bought a bottle of wine.

Sam bought wine because of what his parents said about it. Sam bought wine, because his parents said they love it. They may indicate a pause in a sentence, but the actual reason for that pause lies elsewhere. Their function, at least in this case, is to separate clauses within a sentence.

If the intention of the comma is to introduce a pause or something like the effect of the comma that is suggested in the article, the use of a dash might be more appropriate.

I think we have to keep in mind that English is not a standardized language. There are plenty of rules that differ regionally, while others are simply defined by personal taste. Subordinate clauses essentially perform the function of an adverb—they modify the verb of the sentence, and they give a reason for the verb. Functionally, these subordinate clauses are no different than infinitive verb phrases or prepositional phrases that are adverbial:.

In 2 , it could be grammatically possible that the writer has two lunches, a conventional one, and one that is sitting on his lawn, but that interpretation is silly, and so we conclude that the eating is happening on the lawn. No one I hope would suggest a comma go here. But I still think context will usually clear things up. Well, Bill, the Chicago Manual of Style section reflects what the author has stated in this article.