Before we reveal which sentence needs a comma and which doesn’t, let’s go back to a term from the beginning of the show: participial phrase. Here is an example of "which" without a comma: Experience is a comb which nature gives us when we are bald. 1. Mood: How to Use Tone and Mood in Your Writing, 5 Writing "Rules" That Are Really Guidelines, Beware of These Common Consistency Issues in Writing. We also use where as a conjunction and there it takes a comma. When it’s used as a preposition (e.g., some flowers for my mom) you probably don’t need a comma before it, unless it’s in a list or some other structure that needs commas. Whereas is always used for contrast. In the example above, the direct question must be set off from the rest of the sentence. to receive a weekly summary of new articles, Follow me to get updates and engage in a discussion, You can use the image on another website, provided that you, guide on how to avoid the most common mistakes. Or; I spend most of the journey deliberating on my decision to come home with Mark while he repeatedly draws breath as if intending to say something but deciding against it. Note that a dependent clause should be separated from an independent clause by a comma only when the dependent clause precedes the independent one. I prefer chocolate cake, while my sister prefers key lime pie. Distinguishing between the two meanings is important to make yourself understood. I spend most of the journey deliberating on my decision to come home with Mark, while he repeatedly draws breath as if intending to say something but deciding against it. And why am I telling you all this? There’s no single rule that applies to all situations. “Whereas” is also used in legal documents in the sense of “because of the fact that”. View all comments. Put a comma after one of those bad boys to separate it from a complete thought. It's an awkward sentence but that's beside the point. If you are ill, you ought to see a doctor. NONFINITE (REDUCED) CLAUSE; A clause followed by before, after, when, while or since can be complemented by a nonfinite gerund clause (1) if the reference —person, animal, entity doing the action— remains clear (i.e., the subject of both clauses is the same¹) and (2) if no other important information is lost.. MAIN CLAUSE: TEMPORAL PHRASE: SUBJECT'S ACTION IS MODIFIED (Guideline: Use a comma before a coordinator—and, but, yet, or, nor, for, so—that links two main clauses; do not use a comma before a coordinator that links two words or phrases. It goes at the beginning of the second clause and is usually separated from the rest of the sentence with a comma. Writing, grammar, and communication tips for your inbox. In this sense, it means “whereas” or “although.” It's perfectly fine to put a comma BEFORE "while" in that sentence: Cheung says that, while it was very easy to describe Chinese consumers 10 years ago, it's not so easy today. While I was eating, the cat scratched at the door. “While” is somewhat more complicated because it has two different meanings. 17 Comments . It’s almost always optional to put a comma before and in a list. Because her alarm clock was broken, she was late for class. “While” is somewhat more complicated because it has two different meanings. Can anyone explain the difference? It depends on how 'tightly coupled' the will phrase is to what precedes it. I rang the bell and pounded on the door, but no one answered. Do use a comma when “as” can be substituted with “because”. If you want to read more about the distinction, you can read my other article on the topic. Slightly more complex is the question of whether you should use a comma before "while." Because clauses starting with “whereas”, “while”, “although”, and similar conjunctions are just special cases of this rule. While. I decided to take a nap under my desk, while everyone else was in the meeting. I prefer chocolate cake while my sister prefers key lime pie. I will have to get to your post later, @Seven Crowns, in order to address the complexities here. In the latter case, while must be preceded by a comma. You're veering to the territory of restrictive and nonrestrictive clauses. However, there are usually better ways to express the same idea, such as: By the way, if you havenât read my guide on how to avoid the most common mistakes in English, make sure to check it out; it deals with similar topics. A nonrestrictive clause doesn't. Here's my simplified explanation: While and whilst are the same, but whilst is a bit more formal (according to one famous grammar book). We have used "who" because using "which" without a comma is an unpopular practice (especially in the US). Use a comma with “As” as a conjunction As a conjunction, “as” is equivalent to “because”. My parents died during the time when I was still at school. )I sent Elaine a basket full of apricots, mangoes, bananas, and dates. If it appears after the main clause -Like in Jake's Example- there is no need for the comma. When where serves as an adverb, it generally does not take comma before it. If it does, it is not preceded by a comma, and if it doesn’t, it must be preceded by a comma. There are some cases where you know you should use a comma – such as when separating items in a list – but there are other times when you might be unsure whether or not a comma is needed.. While is a subordinating conjunction, but in some circumstances it can act as an adverb of concession as well. Letâs order the curtains while theyâre still on sale. While there’s some degree of flexibility in how commas are used, it’s important to have a clear grasp of the rules. When while is used as a conjunction, it has two meanings. Tip: See my list of the Most Common Mistakes in English. 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