When a comma is placed before the conjunction a. What conjunctions are preceded by a comma - examples. Comma when used multiple times

The comma is the simplest and most prosaic, but at the same time the most insidious sign. Its formulation implies an understanding of how speech is constructed and structured, what meanings appear and disappear if the comma is placed incorrectly. Of course, in a short article it is impossible to describe in what cases a comma is used and list absolutely everything; we will focus only on the most common and simple ones.

Enumeration and homogeneous members

Correct placement of commas in a simple sentence begins with knowing the rule that homogeneous members of a sentence must be separated by a comma:

I love, adore, idolize cats.

I love cats, dogs, horses.

Difficulties arise if there is a conjunction “and” between homogeneous members of the sentence. The rule here is simple: if the conjunction is single, a comma is not needed:

I love dogs, cats and horses.

If there is more than one conjunction, then a comma is placed before the second conjunction and further:

I love dogs, cats, and horses.

Otherwise, a comma is placed before the conjunction “a”. The rule dictates the placement of the sign in any case and also applies to the conjunction “but” and the conjunction “yes” in the meaning of “but”:

My neighbor doesn't like dogs, but cats.

Cats love cautious people, but avoid noisy and angry people.

Definition with personal pronoun

Difficulties with where a comma is needed also arise when it comes to definition. However, everything is simple here too.

If a single adjective refers to a personal pronoun, it is separated by a comma:

Satisfied, she entered the room and showed the purchase.

I saw this dog then. She, joyful, wagged her tail, trembled and jumped on her owner all the time.

Separate definition

If you are memorizing the rules about when to use a comma, then the third point should be a separate definition.

By separate definition we mean, first of all, It is separated by commas in the case when it follows the word to which it refers:

A boy who has read books about travel will never pass indifferently past a travel agency or a store with tents and lanterns.

The cat, who had barely waited for the treat, was now purring and looking affectionately at its owner.

A boy who has read books about travel will never pass indifferently past a travel agency or a store with tents and lanterns.

The cat, which had barely waited for the treat, was now purring and looking affectionately at its owner.

Special circumstances

Commas in both simple and complex sentences separate a single gerund and a participial phrase:

The cat purred and lay down on my lap.

The dog, after growling, calmed down and let us talk.

After making a number of comments about the new project, the boss left.

Introductory words

Introductory words are words that show the reliability of information, its source or the speaker’s attitude to this information.

These are words that could potentially be expanded into a sentence:

This artist, of course, won the hearts of all his contemporaries.

Natasha doesn't seem to have any intention of taking care of her father.

Leonid apparently has no idea why so many people have appeared around him lately.

Appeals

If there is an address in the sentence, and it is not a pronoun, then it must be separated by commas on both sides.

Hello, dear Leo!

Goodbye, Lydia Borisovna.

Do you know, Masha, what I want to tell you?

Linda, come to me!

Unfortunately, ignorance of when to use a comma often leads to illiterate execution of business letters. Among these errors are the omission of a comma when addressing, and the insertion of an extra comma when pronouncing:

Good afternoon Pavel Evgenievich!(Need to: Good afternoon, Pavel Evgenievich!)

Svetlana Borisovna, we have also prepared our new samples for you. ( Need to : Svetlana Borisovna, we have also prepared our new samples for you.)

How do you think it is advisable to conclude this agreement? ( Need to : Do you think it is advisable to conclude this agreement?)

Comma in a complex sentence

In general, all the rules regarding the cases in which a comma is placed in a complex sentence essentially boil down to one thing: all parts of any complex sentence must be separated from each other by a punctuation mark.

Spring has come, the sun is shining, sparrows are scurrying about, children are running around triumphantly.

They bought him a new computer because the old one could no longer work due to the small amount of memory and incompatibility with new programs.

What else can you do if not have fun when there is nothing else left to do?

At the head of the procession was some red-haired boy, he was probably the most important.

A comma in a complex sentence is placed in all cases, except for a unifying word, and if another sign is not needed at the junction of parts of the sentence, first of all, a colon.

Exception: unifying word

If parts of a complex sentence are combined by a single word (for example, then a comma is not placed between these parts of the sentence:

and the birds flew in, our company somehow perked up.

Wed: Spring has come, the birds have flown in, and our company has somehow become more lively.

This word can be not only at the very beginning of a sentence:

We will go to this meeting only as a last resort, only if all the conditions are agreed upon and the text of the agreement is agreed upon.

Comma or colon?

Instead of a comma, there should be a colon if the meaning of the first part is revealed in the second:

It was a wonderful time: we drew what we wanted.

Now he got down to the most important thing: he was making a gift for his mother.

The dog no longer wanted to go for walks: the owners had so intimidated her with training that it was easier to sit under the table.

Sentences containing "how"

Many mistakes regarding when to use a comma arise from a misunderstanding of the difference between the two meanings of the word “as.”

The first meaning of this word is comparative. In this case, the sentence is separated by commas:

The aspen leaf, like a butterfly, rose higher and higher.

The second meaning is an indication of identity. In such cases, the phrase with “how” is not separated by commas:

The butterfly as an insect is of little interest to people who are accustomed to seeing animals as a source of warmth and communication.

Therefore the sentence: " As your mother, I won’t let you ruin your life." can be punctuated in two ways. If the speaker is really the listener's mother, then the word "how" is used as a word indicating identity ("I" and "mom" are the same thing), so there is no need for commas.

If the speaker compares himself with the mother of the listener (“I” and “mother” are not the same thing, “I” is compared” with “mother”), then commas are needed:

I, like your mother, will not allow you to ruin your life.

If “how” is part of the predicate, the comma is also omitted:

The lake is like a mirror. ( Wed .: The lake, like a mirror, sparkled and reflected the clouds).

Music is like life. (Music, like life, does not last forever.)

Formal signs of the need for a comma: to trust or not?

Special features of sentences will help you pay attention to when a comma is used. However, you should not trust them too much.

So, for example, this primarily concerns whether a comma is placed before “so that.” The rule seems to be unambiguous: “A comma is always placed before “so that”.” However, any rule should not be taken too literally. For example, a sentence with "so" could be:

He wanted to talk to her to find out the truth and to talk about how he lived his life.

As you can see, the rule works here, but the second “so” does not require a comma. this error is quite common:

We went to the store just to study the prices and to see what we could buy for lunch in this city.

Right : We went to the store just to study the prices and to see what we could buy for lunch in this city.

The same goes for the word “how”. It was already said above that, firstly, a word has two meanings, and secondly, it can be part of different members of a sentence, so you should not trust the common formulation “There is always a comma before “as”.”

The third common case of a formal sign of the need for a comma is the word “yes”. However, it should also be treated with great caution. The word “yes” has several meanings, including “and”:

He took his brushes and went to paint.

The jackdaws and crows flocked in, but the titmice were still missing.

Such formal signs should rather be treated as potentially “dangerous” places. Words like “so that”, “what would”, “how”, “yes” can signal that there may be a comma in this sentence. These “signals” will help you not to miss commas in sentences, but the rule regarding these signs themselves should never be overlooked.

At the same time, when placing commas, you should rather focus not on the “rules”, but on the meaning of the sign. The comma, in general, is intended to separate homogeneous members of a sentence, parts of a complex sentence, as well as fragments that do not fit into the structure of the sentence, which are alien to it (addresses, introductory words, etc.). The rules only specify each case. This even applies to the formula “you need a comma before “to”.” This rule actually specifies the general principle of punctuation. But in general, of course, when writing you need to think!

1. Complex sentence.

Complex is a sentence that has two or more independent grammatical stems connected by coordinating conjunctions.

Punctuation marks in a complex sentence.

1. A comma is placed between parts of a complex sentence connected by conjunctions:
   1. connecting ( and, yes in meaning and, neither... nor);
   2. adversative ( ah, but, yes in meaning but, however, on the other hand, otherwise, not);
   3. dividing ( or, either, whether... whether, then... that, not those... not that);
   4. connecting ( yes, yes and, too, also);
   5. explanatory ( that is, namely).
2. If parts of a complex sentence are significantly common or have commas inside them, then between them a semicolon is added(before unions But And Yes meaning "and" only when they connect parts that would otherwise be separated by a point): Almost every evening later they went somewhere out of town to Oreanda or to a waterfall; And the walk was a success, the impressions were invariably beautiful and majestic each time (H), I only had blue paint, But, despite this, I decided to draw a hunt (L. T), I thought he started crying, A I must tell you that Azamat was a stubborn boy, and nothing could make him cry, even when he was younger (L.)
3. If in second part compound sentence contains an unexpected addition or sharp contrast to the first part, then between them a dash is placed instead of a comma: Deft and strong blows with sledgehammers on the barrels of machine guns - and the Nazis can no longer shoot (V. Stavsky). I rush there - and the whole city is already there (P.)

1. Comma before unions oh yeah(meaning "and"), or, or in a compound sentence not placed:
   1. common minor term (In such a storm the wolf does not prowl and the bear does not crawl out of the den);
   2. if parts of a complex sentence have (When the thunderstorm started, the game stopped and the children rushed to run home);
   3. between two nominal proposals (Walk in the forest and boating);
   4. between two interrogative proposals (What time is it now and how much time is left before the train leaves?).
2. There is no comma between two impersonal sentences that have synonymous words as part of the predicates (You need to rewrite the work and explain the mistakes made in it).
3. A comma is placed between parts of a complex sentence that have common minor term or general subordinate clause, if these parts are connected repeating conjunction (Heavy trucks were moving along the streets, cars were rushing, and pedestrians were hurrying along).

   If the parts of the sentence are not connected by a repeating conjunction, but have a common member, then a comma between them not placed: The eyes sparkled on the pale face and the nose stretched out.

2. Complex sentence.

Difficult to subordinate a sentence is a complex sentence that contains main part And dependent(subordinate clause). The parts of such a sentence are interconnected subordinating conjunctions or allied words.

Punctuation marks in complex sentences.

1. Subordinate clause separated from the main one comma or separated by commas on both sides, if located inside the main.
2. Sometimes, with intonation emphasis, explanatory clauses (as well as conditional ones with the conjunction whether), standing before the main clause, are separated from it not by a comma, but dash: He who is cheerful laughs (L.-K.); As the teacher said, I listened for a long time at the window (Plsch.); Of course, it’s good that he’s getting married to her, but who knows how they’ll live (M. G.); Whether a plowman sings a song in the distance, the long song touches the heart; Will the forest begin - pine and aspen (N.)(in the last example in the second part there is an incomplete sentence).
3. In rare cases, a subordinating conjunction is preceded by colon: this occurs when in the previous part of a complex sentence contains a special warning about further clarification(you can insert the words here "namely"): Hadji Murat was sitting next to him in the room and, although he did not understand what they were saying, he understood, however, what he needed to understand: that they were arguing about him and that his departure from Shamil was a matter of great importance for the Russians.. (L T .)
4. When a subordinate clause is connected to the main clause using complex subordinating conjunction (because, in view of the fact that, due to the fact that, due to the fact that, due to the fact that, because of that, so that, instead of, in order to, so that, after, while, since like, etc.), That the comma is placed once:
   1. before the union, if the subordinate clause follows the main clause: We sat on the corner of the bastion, so we could see everything in both directions (L.);
   2. after the entire subordinate clause, if it precedes the main thing: As I spoke, he came to his senses (M. G.)
   Note. Depending on the meaning, a complex conjunction can break up into two parts: the first part will be part of the main sentence as a relative word, and the second will serve as a conjunction; in such cases a comma is placed only before the second part of a complex conjunction: He lost weight overnight so that only skin and bones remained (L. T.); Grandfather ordered not to wake up Tanyusha until she wakes up (Ax.). Complex unions then, as if, even if, only when don't break.
5. If a subordinating conjunction or relative word is preceded by negation "Not" or repeating coordinating conjunction oh, or, or etc., then the subordinate clause not separated from main comma: What matters is not what he said, but how he said it; It was noisy both when the children played in the yard and when they gathered in the dining room(a comma is placed between subordinate clauses in such cases).
6. They are not subordinate clauses and do not separate That's why comma irreducible expressions at any cost, as if nothing had happened, whatever it takes, whatever it takes etc.
7. Subordinate clause, consisting of only one relative word, no comma separated: He was offended, but he said why.

3. Complex non-union sentence.

A non-union complex sentence is a sentence in which the parts that form it (simple sentences) are interconnected in meaning, intonation, and the order in which the parts are arranged. Between the parts of such a sentence no unions.

Punctuation marks in a non-union complex sentence.

Comma and semicolon in a non-union complex sentence
1. Between independent clauses combined into one complex non-union sentence, a comma is added, if such proposals are closely related in meaning: The deep darkness in the sky was thinning, day fell on the dark valley, dawn rose (P.).
2. If parts of a non-union complex sentence distant from each other by meaning or are very common and have commas inside them, then between them a semicolon is added: At the gate I saw an old cast-iron cannon; the streets were cramped and crooked, the huts were low and mostly covered with thatch (P.); It was already evening; the sun disappeared behind a small aspen grove that lay half a mile from the garden; its shadow stretched endlessly across the motionless fields (T.).
3. If a non-union complex sentence falls apart(groups of sentences), meaningfully distant from each other, then between them a semicolon is added, and within these parts simple sentences are separated by a comma: The forest smell intensifies, there is a slight whiff of warm dampness; the wind that has taken off near you freezes (T.); The pale gray sky became lighter, colder, and bluer; the stars blinked with faint light and then disappeared; the ground became damp, the leaves began to sweat, in some places living sounds and voices began to be heard (T.).

A colon in a non-union complex sentence is placed:
1. If the second part (one or more sentences) clarifies, reveals the content of what is said in the first part (you can insert words between both parts "namely"): I was not mistaken: the old man did not refuse the offered glass. (P.) Here a rather interesting picture opened up: a wide hut, the roof of which rested on two sooty pillars, was full of people (L.);
2. If in the first sentence using verbs see, look, hear, know, feel etc. a warning is given that what will follow is a statement of some fact or some description: I know: in your heart there is both pride and direct honor (P.); Pavel feels: someone’s fingers are touching his arm above the elbow (N.O.).
   Notes
   1. Sometimes these verbs are omitted: He thought, sniffed: it smells like honey (Ch.)(missing: and felt that).
   2. If the first sentence is pronounced without a hint of warning, then a comma is placed instead of a colon: I hear the earth tremble (N.).
3. If the second part indicates the basis, the reason for what is said in the first part (you can insert a conjunction between both parts because): They were silent the whole way to the farm: the bumpy ride made it difficult to talk (Ch.).

In these cases, most often the main part of the statement (corresponding to the main clause in complex sentences) is contained in the first part of the non-union complex sentence, and in the second part (corresponding to the subordinate clause in complex sentences) an explanation is provided, revealing the content of the first part.

A dash in a non-union complex sentence is placed:
1. If the second part contains an unexpected addition, an indication of a rapid change of events: Suddenly men with axes appeared - the forest rang, groaned, crackled (N.); Ignat pulled the trigger - the gun misfired (Ch.);
2. If the second part contains sharp contrast in relation to the first part: The oak is holding on - the reed has fallen to the ground (Kr.); They mowed a mile - they mowed a penny (M. G.);
3. If the second part contains consequence, conclusion from what is said in the first part: Praise is tempting - how can you not want it? (Kr.);
4. If in the first part the time of the action is indicated, which is discussed in the second part (you can add the union When): They plow the arable land - they don’t wave their hands (ate); The forest is being cut down - the chips are flying (ate);
5. If the first part means condition for performing an action, which is discussed in the second part (you can add the union If): If you love to ride, you also love to carry sleds(last); Lying on the stove - no workdays to be seen(last);
6. If one part contains comparison with what is said in another: Says a word - the nightingale sings (L.).

A dash is placed also in cases where second part a non-conjunctive complex sentence is incomplete sentence: (I thought it was a wolf).

The problem of literacy today worries many. There are fewer people who can write without errors than we would like. Punctuation causes particular difficulties for people, as it is very easy to make a mistake.

People often ask the question of when a comma is placed before “and”, since this rule can be difficult to understand. In practice, everything is a little simpler than it might seem at first glance. There are some basic rules for putting a comma before "and" and, of course, there are exceptions to them.

Rules for placing a comma before "and"

If "and" joins two simple clauses, a comma is usually necessary. You can check this rule very simply: if you can divide a sentence into two simple ones and neither of them loses its meaning, a comma is needed.

For example, the sentence: “It was sunny and there was a light breeze” can easily be divided into the sentences: “It was sunny” and “There was a light breeze.” Please note: the meaning of the sentences has not been lost.

However, if two simple sentences have a word in common, there is no need to use a comma. The verification of this rule is similar to the previous one: when a sentence is divided into parts, the meaning of at least one of them will be lost. For example, the sentence: “Yesterday it was sunny and there was a light breeze.” If we divide it into parts: “Yesterday it was sunny” and “There was a light breeze”, the meaning of the first sentence will be completely preserved. But at the same time, part of the meaning of the second sentence will be lost, since it is no longer clear when this happened. To ensure that the meaning is not lost, the sentences would need to be divided into “Yesterday it was sunny” and “Yesterday there was a light breeze.” In such examples, when parts of a complex sentence have a common word, a comma is not placed before “and”.

A comma is also needed in cases where the conjunction “and” is repeated several times in a sentence. Example: “It was sunny and there was a light breeze.”

Also, a comma is not placed before “and” in exclamatory, imperative and interrogative sentences. In our case, an example would be: “Was it really sunny and a light breeze blowing?”

A comma is not placed before “and” in sentences that contain an explanatory part of a complex sentence or a common introductory part for two sentences. For example: “Spring has come, so it was sunny and there was a light breeze.”

Another exception is nominative sentences, that is, those that express the existence of a certain phenomenon or object. For example: “Sunny and light breeze.”

Using these rules, you can easily figure out whether a comma is necessary in your sentence. It is important to understand and clearly identify for yourself the rules when a comma is placed before “and”, and based on this knowledge you will be able to identify other cases in which it is not necessary to put it.

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Difficult cases of punctuation. Comma before the conjunction "I"

Conjunction "and" can connect Firstly , homogeneous members of the sentence, secondly , simple sentences as part of a complex one.

To correctly place a comma before the conjunction “and”, it is necessary to distinguish the structure of a complex sentence from a simple sentence with homogeneous predicates or subjects. Therefore, first we recall the definitions of simple and compound sentences.

For example: It seemed like It’s as if they’re tearing up the whole forest at once and the earth is groaning in pain. (conjunction "and" single)

He recalled how the Nazis suddenly attacked them , and how they ended up surrounded , and how the detachment still managed to get through to its own. (conjunction "and" repeats)

Unfortunately, the division of rules into punctuation for homogeneous members of a sentence, signs in a complex sentence and working with a complex sentence including homogeneous subordinate clauses leads to the inability of many completing a Russian language course to navigate how and when this or that rule is applied. In addition, theoretical knowledge often does not allow one to correctly understand which of the rules needs to be applied, therefore, even if they know the rules, not all schoolchildren are able to use them appropriately and adequately.

Therefore, we offer you another way to master this punctogram, which was designated by Nikolenkova N.V.: go from the “external” signs of the organization of the sentence, that is, from the number of used conjunctions "and". We believe this will make the work of correctly placing punctuation marks a little easier.

Go to the second page on this topic

Conjunctions are one of the most difficult topics that students encounter. Teachers spend a long time trying to explain what this part of speech is and how to handle it.

So, conjunctions are an independent part of speech that connects two sentences with each other. But it's not that simple.

After all, there is one more thing that absolutely every person needs to know: which conjunctions are preceded by a comma.

Rules for placing commas before conjunctions in Russian

According to the rule, a comma is placed before all conjunctions in complex sentences.

But there are some nuances.

If there are particles in front of the union "only", "merely", "exclusively"(and others similar to them) you can safely skip the comma. She's not needed there. As, for example, in this sentence:

“I only smiled when I was sure no one was watching.”

You can also skip the comma when there are words before the conjunction such as “especially”, “that is”, “namely”, “in particular”(and others similar to them). For example, take the following sentence:

“There was always a desire to live in his eyes, especially when he saw me.”

Cases when a comma before “and” is not needed

Let's list these points:

• A conjunction connects homogeneous members of a sentence:

“I equally loved peaches, grapes, and apricots”;

• There is a common minor term:

“Lizonka could easily discern the makings of a great artist and ability for music”;

• Several interrogative sentences are combined:

“Where did you see him and what did he say?”;

• Several impersonal sentences are connected:

“You need to add salt and sprinkle the dish with pepper.”

Depending on the meaning, a complex conjunction can be divided into several parts and separated by commas. For example:

• “Lisa didn’t show up for work, because overslept (emphasis on the event itself)”;
• “Lisa didn’t show up for work because overslept (emphasis on the reason).”

Some conjunctions always break apart and are separated by commas. For example: “such as”, “more than”, “better than” and others (a comma before “not that” and “not that” is not needed).

A complex conjunction is separated by a comma if:

1. Before the conjunction there is a particle “not”;
2. The conjunction is preceded by intensifying words and other particles;
3. The first part of the conjunction is included in the homogeneous members of the sentence.

A comma is not needed when a complex conjunction comes before the main clause.

Examples of placing commas before some conjunctions:

1. "I wanted to buy or red, or black, or white sneakers, but my father chose green ones, and I had to agree”;
2. "You looked at me like that as if I betrayed you and gave you to the wolves”;
3. "Clouds have covered the sky, And the sun was no longer visible";
4. "I loved him, But he never loved me";
5. “Misha has always been kind, A Gosha was his complete opposite”;
6. “He used to hit me hard, That's why I never respected him";
7. “Kostya was tall, and Also brown-eyed";
8. « I loved him no matter what for already knew him inside and out”;
9. "I didn't see How she fell, but I heard her scream”;
10. "I've seen better than him, Although no, there has never been anyone better than him”;
11. "You motivate me to be better than yesterday, better than an hour ago";
12. "I didn't love anyone because your own mother";
13. "I wanted to scream but still I held back because it didn’t make any sense”;
14. "Every child changes as the world will know";
15. « Considering that this task was difficult, you can safely be proud of yourself”;
16. “I didn’t think about anything at all. before got into an accident";
17. "Thank you friends and family for what they didn’t abandon me in a difficult situation”;
18. "Not dollars, namely rubles! – I repeated to Olga”;
19. "I'll do it, only if will you give me permission";
20. “He was too stubborn; than he didn’t want to change, there was no question of our future together”;
21. « Not only that he can’t read, so he also speaks poorly”;
22. "I never blamed her, even despite the fact that she left when I was five”;
23. "I didn't like honey while you adored him";
24. "I decided not to do anything to don’t embarrass yourself once again”;
25. “You are different, you are a welcome guest in his house, regardless of weather, mood, condition";
26. "I remember every minute of my life since got into an accident";
27. "I was not really stupid, but strange";
28. "Because I was an only child, I grew up selfish”;
29. "I'm surprised, however, no less than you, this is frightening, but today your absent-mindedness is especially frightening”;
30. “We've been through a lot; about what it happened that it was better for no one to know”;
31. "You're so sweet What I want to touch you and keep you in dust on a shelf, but you’re not good for anything more”;
32. "You would have had to leave anyway, otherwise I would hurt you too much";
33. "I love you, as if birds love the heights of heaven";
34. "I miss, as well as did you miss me once";
35. "I weighed more than enough";
36. “If you really want to give up everything, That why are you holding on to me”;
37. "I will only smile in the event that and you will";
38. “I will definitely do everything, after I’ll rest”;
39. “Your plans are delightful; in order to to fulfill them, we don’t need to buy anything more”;
40. "I liked it equally How yellow, So and blue color";
41. "After such words, How "“darling”, “dear”, “sweet”, I feel needed and loved”;
42. “I respected Nastya, after all She always kept her word."

Conclusion

Conjunctions are a tricky part of speech. You need to be careful and careful with her. That is why this topic deserves special attention.