When is a comma used? When is a comma used? Conjunctions are always preceded by a comma.

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", "only", "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 did not 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 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 will do it, if only 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 whereas you adored him";
24. "I decided not to do anything to don’t embarrass yourself again”;
25. “You are different, you are a welcome guest in his house, regardless weather, mood, condition";
26. "I remember every minute of my life since got in an accident";
27. "I was Not really stupid, but strange";
28. "Because of 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; that 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 case if 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.

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 fussing, 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: " I, like your mother, will not allow you to 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. However, 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!

Good afternoon, dear "letter"! Please tell me whether a comma is needed in the following situation: “Nothing is said about violations or damage due to which everything needs to be dismantled. It is not said_ that I must urgently reconstruct something.” There is no comma in the original, but my eye stumbles. I understand that it is better, of course, to add “that” (“It is not said that I should...”), but since this is the construction, then what should I do? Thank you in advance.

If in a complex sentence there is a coordinating conjunction before the subordinating conjunction or allied word And, no comma is used. So the specified comma is not needed.

He felt uncomfortable with the silence hanging in the air. But (,) he didn’t know what to say. Is the comma before "what" necessary in this case? Thank you!

Russian help desk response

Since the coordinating conjunction and the connecting word come at the very beginning of the sentence, a comma is not required.

Good afternoon. I have seen many times, even here, a question like “I forgot how to breathe.” Still, do you need a comma or not? And why?

Russian help desk response

A comma is needed. This is a complex sentence, and it does not belong to those models in which a comma is not used. Here is an excerpt from D. E. Rosenthal's Guide to Punctuation.

§ 33. Comma between the main and subordinate parts of a complex sentence

1. The subordinate part of a complex sentence is separated or separated by commas: While his wife was preparing breakfast, Danilov went out into the garden(Pan.); How long he sat by the fallen spruce tree, Andrei did not remember(Bub.); Her piercing, sharp voice, which can only be found in the south, cut through the distance, almost without weakening(Paul.); Kapustin promised to negotiate with the head of the school so that he would increase the number of flights for Meresyev, and suggested that Alexey create a training program for himself(Floor.); Injection of water can serve as direct evidence that painful influences by themselves are not able to reduce secretion(I.P.); The old man ordered the meat to be really cooked so that it would look good(Sem.).

2. A complex sentence may contain an incomplete sentence - in the main part or subordinate clause:

1) incomplete in the main part: We've been married for two years now(cf.: We've been married for two years now- simple sentence); It's been a month since he returned from the south(cf.: He's been back from the south for a month now- a comma before the conjunction would “tear off” the predicate from the subject); It's been three weeks since we've been here(cf.: We've been here for three weeks already- the circumstance of place is expressed by the combination like here); But: This is the third day he's been here- a simple sentence, whereas in the above examples the words were implied in the main part of the sentence: has passed since that time, since that moment;

2) incomplete or close to incomplete in the subordinate clause: It was hard to understand what was going on;Ready to help in any way I can;Gradually we learned to figure out what was what(cf.: You'll understand what's what); People know what they're doing; Come in, those who already have checks; Sit down wherever you can; Do whatever it takes; Place it as you wish; Tell who should; Absolutely everyone scolded(with a touch of clarification; cf.: The leaflets are piled up and everyone is taking them.- a phraseological phrase meaning “anyone who wants, whoever wants”); Send where necessary; But: Do what you want etc. (see § 41, paragraph 2. Verb expressions are not separated by a commawant, forming integral expressions:write as you want(“write in any way”);whoever wants to command over him;only those who don’t want him don’t drive him;come whenever you want;take as much as you want;hang out with whoever you want;Do whatever you want;do as you wish;write whatever article you want;drink whatever wine you want;marry whoever you want(But: married whoever he wanted;marry whoever he wants- P in the dismembered meaning of the verbs forming the predicate of an incomplete sentence)).

3. If the main part of a complex sentence is inside a subordinate clause (in colloquial style of speech), then a comma is usually placed only after the main part (and not before it); compare: It cannot be said that he was involved in housekeeping...(G.) - It’s impossible to say that he would do housework; But I don’t feel comfortable for you to say these words...(Hertz.) But I don't feel comfortable for you to say these words.

Words are not separated by commas you see, You know etc. in interrogative and exclamatory sentences like: And you know how good he is!; Do you see what he is doing?(see § 25, paragraph 8).

4. A comma is not placed between the main and the following subordinate clause of a complex sentence in the following cases:

1) if there is a negative particle before the subordinating conjunction or allied word Not: At sea, in a sea, you sleep not when you want, but when you can(Gonch.); Try to find out not what they have already done, but what they are going to do next.; I came not to interfere with your work, but, on the contrary, to help; Roman generals considered it important to establish not how many enemy troops were in front of them, but where they were; He knows not only where the game is found, but also what species live there;

2) if there is a coordinating conjunction before the subordinating conjunction or allied word and, or, either etc. (usually repeated): Consider both what he said and how he said it; He did not hear his sister enter the room, nor how she then silently left; I will respond to your request either when the next issue of the newsletter arrives, or when I make the necessary inquiries myself, Wed also with a single union: I couldn’t imagine how to get out of this situation.; I know how it's done; The boy was forgiven even when he did not listen to anyone, but (with the reverse order of the main and subordinate parts): I don’t remember what this boy’s name was;

3) if the subordinate clause consists of one allied word (relative pronoun or adverb): I would also like to know why(L.T.); I don't know why, but I didn't understand him(Trif.); He left and didn't say where; He promised to return soon, but did not specify when; It's hard to say why; The mother determined the child’s temperature with her lips: she would put them to the forehead and immediately determine how much; Someone handed the patient a cup of water, he didn’t even look who; I won't say what, I say - a great misfortune.

A comma is not used even if there are several relative words acting as homogeneous members of the sentence: I don’t know why or how, but the letter suddenly disappeared; They will call and ask who and why.

If there is a particle with a conjunctive word, then the placement of a comma is optional; compare: I don't remember what exactly; He finds it difficult to say what else; This quote can be found, I even remember approximately where.

In context conditions, it is possible to place a comma before a single conjunctive word; compare: What should be done? Teach that(strengthened logical emphasis of the pronoun). - At one time he whispered something, they couldn’t understand - what?(A.T.) (the placement of a dash emphasizes the meaning of the pronoun and is justified by interrogative intonation).

5. If the subordinating conjunction is preceded by the words especially, in particular, that is, namely, for example, and, but just etc. with a connecting meaning, then a comma is not placed after these words (cf. § 24, paragraph 4): Schoolchildren don’t want to study in the spring, especially when it’s warm and the sun is shining brightly; It was necessary to carry out additional research work, in particular when experimental testing of the machine’s operation began; The author has the right to receive a portion of the royalties in accordance with the terms of the contract, that is, when the manuscript is approved by the publishing house; The expedition will have to end early under unfavorable conditions, namely when the rainy season begins; Just in case, have your ID with you, for example, when you receive money by postal order; The graduate student came to Moscow to meet with his supervisor and also to work in the archives.

6. If the subordinating conjunction is preceded by intensifying particles just, only, only, exclusively etc., then a comma is placed in front of them contrary to intonation (when reading, there is no pause before them; cf. § 20): Katya left the dining room just as we stepped towards each other through some suitcases(Kav.); I will do this work only if I am free(cf.: ...if only I'm free); He came solely to help me(cf.: He came not only to see me, but also to help me- influence of a negative particle Not).

There is no comma after excretory particles here, after all, standing before the subordinating conjunction in the subordinate clause preceding the main one: There’s nothing much to brag about yet, this is how we’ll get the job done, then come.

Hello! Please explain the absence of a comma before the conjunction “and” in the following sentence: “The boy was very sad when his younger sister played with him.” Thank you in advance.

Russian help desk response

This is the rule: a comma is not placed between the main part and the subordinate clause, attached by a simple conjunction or allied word, if there is a coordinating conjunction before the subordinating conjunction or allied word. And(or particle).

I was looking for an answer to my question on “Gramota” and came across question No. 230594, which reads like this: “Is there a need for a comma in a sentence before or: “Are we becoming more civilized in this sense or is everything returning to normal?” Answer from “Gramota” was like this: “A comma is required before _or_.” I’m at a loss... Doesn’t the rule apply in this case that a comma is not used if parts of a complex sentence are combined with interrogative intonation? Maybe this is very important for me. , have I been applying the rule incorrectly until now?

Russian help desk response

A comma is not placed between parts of a complex sentence with a common interrogative intonation if there is a single coordinating conjunction between them. In this case, the parts are connected by unions either... or, which in this case are considered as a repeating conjunction.

Good afternoon I have the following question: “Nothing like this was found at the epicenter. It is not clear (?) where the space guest was flying from.” Is a comma necessary after “not clear” and why? Thank you!

Russian help desk response

No comma needed. A comma is not placed between the main clause and the subordinate clause that follows it if there is a coordinating conjunction before the subordinating conjunction or allied word. And, compare: I had no idea how to get out of this situation; I know how it's done.

Good afternoon. We doubt the comma before “although” in this case, despite the fact that the part of the sentence highlighted by commas can be rearranged. Which is better: “, and, although” or “, and although”? “The negotiations were not easy, and although the meeting participants failed to bring their positions closer, some progress was made.”

Russian help desk response

Your doubts are completely justified, and they are caused by the fact that the coordinating conjunction And inappropriate here. An adversarial alliance is needed between the parts but: The negotiations were not easy, but although the meeting participants failed to bring their positions closer, some progress was achieved.

<дубль>Sentence: “Why is this callout needed at all: it still doesn’t give you any information about the main character’s dressing style and(,) what the author(,) meant still remains unclear.” Are these commas necessary? Probably yes, because if you add the demonstrative pronoun “that” after the conjunction “and”, the comma is 100% needed, and the comma cannot depend on whether “that” is present or omitted, right? On the other hand, Lopatin has a rule: “A comma... is not placed: a) if before a subordinating conjunction or allied word there is a coordinating conjunction and (or particle) ...” (par. 115). Or maybe the entire clause is a subject and not a single comma is needed. What to do and why?

Russian help desk response

The part after the colon can be edited like this: it still doesn't give you any information about mannersMain character dress, and what the author meant remains unclear. Here is the union And connects not homogeneous components, but parts of a complex sentence, so a comma is needed before it. A comma is placed between conjunctions, since the subordinate clause can be moved to the end of the sentence.

Perhaps the colon is inappropriate in this sentence. You need to know the context to make sure that this sign is placed correctly or to suggest another punctuation option.

Is there a need for a comma before the first _no_ in the sentence: My poor hen, who doesn’t really know where your roost is, or what you actually need!

Russian help desk response

No comma needed. If in a complex sentence there is a coordinating conjunction before the subordinating conjunction or allied word and, or, either, nor etc. (usually repeated), then a comma is not placed between the main clause and the subordinate clause that follows it.

Hello.
Help me to understand.

In Lopatin's reference book we read:
“At the beginning of the sentence, the coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, as well as the subordinating conjunction and the conjunctive word, are not separated by a comma: Denis died. And when I was leaving, his old woman brought me a goose... (Prishv.); And forgive me, and forever, forever. .. Because where can they meet now? (Boon.)"

I'm interested in the last example. And if at the beginning of the sentence there is not a conjunction word (such as “where”), but, for example, a conjunction “if,” is a comma needed?

"Because (?) if you had called ahead, I would have waited for you."

Russian help desk response

In the example you gave, the general rule about placing a comma at the junction of conjunctions applies: a comma is placed if the subordinating conjunction does not have the word in the main part of the sentence That. Wed: Because if you had called ahead, I would have waited for you. Because if you had called in advance, I would have waited for you.

Hello! Please tell me whether the signs are placed correctly when writing two versions of the sentence:
1) The water was transparent, and it was clearly visible how small fish were circling in it
2) The water was transparent and therefore it was clearly visible how small fish were circling in it.
Do I understand correctly that in the first case a comma is placed, since the first two parts are equal, and in the second case, a comma is not placed between the main and subordinate parts of the clause, since there is a coordinating conjunction before the subordinating conjunction?

Russian help desk response

1. Missing point.

2. Comma before conjunction And That's why necessary because it connects parts of a complex sentence connected by a coordinating connection.

Good afternoon, please explain what the connection is (coordinating or subordinating in this sentence: Don’t rush, but do it HOW to do it. There are both coordinating and subordinating conjunctions...

Russian help desk response

In this sentence, the predicates are connected by a coordinating conjunction A.

Please tell me what rule you followed when answering question No. 276506 (about the use of a comma). We have a similar sentence, I can’t prove that the comma is before and as an extra one. Thank you.

Russian help desk response

The rule goes like this: a comma is not placed between the main clause and the subordinate clause that follows it if there is a coordinating conjunction before the subordinating conjunction or allied word. and, or, either etc. (usually repetitive).

Hello, dear Gramota.Ru!
Please help resolve a professional dispute about the spelling of the phrase “however if” at the beginning of a sentence. According to Rosenthal, it turns out that a comma CAN appear between these words, but there is no indication that it MUST be placed. On the pages of your site you can find different options, both with and without commas.
So is the comma MANDATORY: “however, if,” or is it NOT obligatory and why?
Your answer will help achieve peace and consistency in our work)))
Sincerely,
proofreaders of the publishing house "Alpina Publisher"

Russian help desk response

The situation is ambiguous. D. E. Rosenthal wrote that at the beginning of the sentence between the union however and subordinating conjunction A comma is usually used: However, if circumstances require it, I will not stand aside. See: Rosenthal D.E. Handbook of the Russian language. Punctuation (M., 2004). N. S. Valgina formulates the rule as follows: at the beginning of a sentence, the coordinating and subordinating conjunction, as well as the subordinating conjunction and the conjunctive word, are not separated by a comma. See: Rules of Russian spelling and punctuation. Complete academic reference book / Ed. V.V. Lopatina. M., 2006 (and later editions).

Good afternoon Is a comma necessary: ​​But () when you see it in the sky, you forget about the money.

Russian help desk response

As a rule, at the beginning of a sentence the coordinating and subordinating conjunctions are not separated by a comma: But when you see it in the sky, you forget about money.

How do you know where to put commas and where there is no need for it? This punctuation mark is an important means of formalizing written speech. Often it is he who helps to understand the meaning invested by the author in the text. Commas are placed according to certain rules that are easy to remember. So, why not remember your school lessons?

Historical reference

How to figure out where to put commas? People have been asking this question for more than a millennium. The sign that functions as a comma was invented by the famous ancient Greek philosopher Aristophanes of Byzantium. This happened back in the third century BC. Even then, humanity desperately needed to clarify written language.

Aristophanes of Byzantium came up with a system of punctuation marks that is very far from modern punctuation. He used special points, which had to be placed depending on how the phrase was pronounced when reading. They could be located at the bottom, middle or top of the line. The function of the comma in those days was assigned to the period in the middle.

The sign that is used today is derived from the fraction symbol. The modern comma is a mini-copy of the one used from the 13th to the 17th centuries to indicate a pause.

How to know where to put commas

So, how to quickly and easily learn the rules and stop making mistakes? How to figure out where to put commas and where they are not needed? To begin with, you should remember that this punctuation mark serves to isolate and highlight:

• introductory words, clarifications;
• definitions;
• interjections;
• participial and participial phrases;
• appeals;
• circumstances.

Of course, that's not all. Punctuation can also be used to separate:

• homogeneous members of the sentence;
• between indirect and direct speech;
• between parts of a complex, compound and complex sentence.

Commas can be single or double. Singles break a sentence into parts, fixing the boundaries of these parts. This punctuation mark is needed, for example, when it is necessary to indicate two simple parts in a complex sentence. Paired commas can be used, say, to highlight participial and participial phrases and introductory words.

The meaning of the sentence

The meaning of the sentence will help you understand where to put commas. After all, punctuation marks are used precisely in order to convey it correctly. If a comma is in the wrong place in a sentence, the meaning is inevitably distorted.

For example: “In the afternoon I entertained my sister, who was sick, by reading aloud”; “Elizabeth, with whom I had a fight a few days ago, walked towards me with a cheerful face”; “I gladly accepted the invitation of Anton, whom I had not seen for many days.” Commas are not where they should be or are missing, so the meaning changes. The person who reads the text does not understand what the author wanted to say.

Before unions

To avoid making mistakes, you need to remember the conjunctions that are preceded by this punctuation mark. When, where, what, because, since - just a few of them.

Suppose the sentence uses the conjunction “since.” Where to put commas? Examples help to understand this. Let's say: “Nikolai is delayed because he doesn’t have time to get ready”; “Svetlana will not come because she has urgent matters”; “Ksenia did something she had never done before”; “Vladimir answered in a way that no one before him could. The teacher gave him the highest score.”

Let's say that the sentence contains the conjunction “because”. Where to put commas? It is easy to give examples in this case as well. Let's say: “Alexander was not at the meeting because he is on a business trip”; “Elena failed the task because everyone refused to help her”; “Nicholas refused to marry a rich bride because he didn’t like her at all.” A comma can also be placed between the words “because” and “that.” For example: “The windows were open because voices on the street were clearly audible in the apartment.” This sentence confirms that the windows are indeed open. There is another example: “The windows were open because it was very hot in the apartment.” This sentence explains the reason that prompted them to be opened.

Independent part of a sentence

How do you know where to put commas in a sentence? With the help of this punctuation mark, its independent part is highlighted. How to find her? If the meaning of a sentence is preserved after some part is removed from it, then it is independent. Introductory sentences and participial phrases must be separated by commas.

For example: “Yesterday I was told that my brother Dmitry, returning from Paris, felt unwell.” If we delete the adverbial phrase “returning from Paris,” the meaning of the sentence will remain virtually unchanged.

What other example can you give? “Today Stanislav learned that his girlfriend, passing by his house, did not come to visit him.”

Introductory words

Where should commas be placed if there are introductory words in the sentence? By the way, imagine, fortunately, of course, by the way - just some of them. The rules of the Russian language say to highlight them with commas on both sides.

For example: “By the way, I always knew that this would happen”; “Dmitry, fortunately, has already overcome his illness”; “Anastasia, just imagine, decided not to come visit us”; “Marina, by the way, has been training in this sports club for several years now.”

Appeal

The address is also always separated by commas in the sentence. It is not always located at the beginning; it can be located in the middle or even at the end.

For example: “Are you coming to visit us this week, Lydia?”; “More than anything else, Margarita, I love to read”; “Alexandra, how do you feel about this plan?”

Comparative turnover

Where to put commas? The rules of the Russian language command the use of these punctuation marks to highlight comparative phrases. As if, how, precisely, what, than, rather than are conjunctions, thanks to which they are easy to detect in a sentence.

For example: “I play the guitar better than her”; “He runs like he’s been training for a marathon for the past few years”; “It was safer to travel at night than during the day,” “I often visit Moscow, like many other cities in Russia.”

We must not forget about the existence of exceptions. Comparative phrases are not indicated using commas when we are talking about phraseological units and set expressions. For example: “Cuts like clockwork”; “It’s pouring like buckets,” “It’s stuck like a bath leaf”; "Make yourself at home".

Between homogeneous members

Homogeneous members of a sentence will not always share this punctuation mark. How do you know where to put commas and where not to? However, but, and, but, yes - conjunctions in which this means of punctuation is necessary.

A comma is placed between homogeneous members if they are connected by repeated conjunctions (or...or, or...or, and...and, not that...not that). For example: “In the apartment the light went out and then came on again.” This punctuation mark is not needed when using single conjunctions or, either, yes, and.

Complexity can be created by heterogeneous and homogeneous definitions. A comma is used if the sentence contains homogeneous definitions. Let's say: “an exciting, interesting action movie.” However, this punctuation mark is not needed if heterogeneous definitions are used. For example: “a Hollywood thriller.” “Hollywood” refers to the place where it was created, while “spectacular” expresses the impression.

Participial

Where is the correct place to put commas when talking about sentences with participial phrases? Participles are indicated by this punctuation mark only in those cases when they are located after the word they are defining. We are talking about a word from which a question is asked in a participial phrase. Let's say: “a brother who was surprised at my arrival,” “a friend who was delighted at the news,” “a mother who found out everything,” “an apple tree that grew in the garden.”

Coordinating Conjunctions

This punctuation mark is necessary in a complex sentence that contains coordinating conjunctions. The rules say to put it in front of them. Yes and, either, and, or, yes are examples of such unions.

The most important thing is to correctly understand where the beginning of one sentence and the end of another are. This is easy to do by identifying the subject and predicate. Separating by meaning will also help.

For example: “It rained all day, and the wind continued to rustle outside the window”; “They worked for a long time, but they finished all the work.”

Opposing alliances

Before contrastive conjunctions (a, yes, but), this punctuation mark is necessary in all cases. For example: “His relatives and friends had high hopes for Evgeniy, but he failed to live up to them”; “It rained in the morning, but by lunchtime the weather improved”; “Your friend wants to talk to you, and you need this conversation.”

What else do you need to know

What else can you tell us about where to put commas in accordance with the rules of the Russian language? Using this punctuation mark, interjections, negative, interrogative and affirmative words are highlighted. Let's say: “Life, alas, does not last forever, sooner or later a person dies,” “Certainly, Alexander will join us for dinner today, since he promised me to do so”; “Isn’t it true that Victoria is very pretty? After all, you like this girl too?” “Undoubtedly, Anatoly will go on a trip around the world this week. I learned about this from him himself,” “I hope Timofey does not harbor a grudge.”

Interjections should not be confused with the particles ah, oh, well, which serve to enhance the connotation. For example: “Oh, what a guy he is!”; “Why is Alexander behaving so badly!”; “Oh, how tired I am, I worked all day today without rest.” It is also necessary to be able to distinguish the particle o, which is used when addressing. Let's say: “Oh mountains, mountains!”; "Oh fields, endless fields."

Conclusion

Punctuation errors can distort the meaning of the text more than spelling errors. The latter can always be passed off as a typo, while missing a comma or using it in the wrong place will not allow the reader to understand what the author wanted to say.

It is understanding the meaning that allows you to place punctuation marks correctly. Of course, it is important to remember the rules regarding the placement of commas in a sentence.

Congestion... Russian word stress

BUT- BUT, union. But at the same time, however (with a hint of the meaning of compensation). Expensive, h. a good thing. But (a) but, the union is the same as but. We were tired, but (at least) we worked well. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

BUT- BUT, adversarial union (colloquial). In compensation for this, and instead of that, but at the same time. I paid dearly, but I bought a good thing. “From Moscow I went to Kaluga, Belev and Orel and thus made two hundred extra miles, but I saw Ermolov.”... ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

but- union. 1. Usage with compensatory comparison; but at the same time, however. Expensive, h. good stuff. Mother loves me, h. Auntie can't stand it. 2. Usage when explaining or expressing a consequence; therefore, as a consequence of this. Didn't listen, s... encyclopedic Dictionary

but- plant of aviation technological equipment, aviation, technical. Source: Kommersant Vlast, 05/14/2002 Closed administrative territorial entity since 1992 education and science Dictionaries: Dictionary of abbreviations and abbreviations of the army and special services. Comp.... ... Dictionary of abbreviations and abbreviations

but- but, union (worked a lot, but did everything, but pronoun. for that: there was no need to take on that business) ... Spelling dictionary-reference book

but- but /, union Paid dearly, but it’s a good thing. Wed. preposition with pronoun. for that/: They paid more for that coat... Together. Apart. Hyphenated.

but- but, conjunction, but pronoun. (they paid more for that coat, but it was better) ... Morphemic-spelling dictionary

But- I conjunction Used to express the relation of compensatory opposition, corresponding in meaning to the following: at the same time, however. II conjunction Used when expressing an explanation or indicating a consequence, corresponding in meaning to the following:... ... Modern explanatory dictionary of the Russian language by Efremova

but- noun, number of synonyms: 36 big stone (2) Vidyaevo (3) Vilyuchinsk (5) ... Synonym dictionary

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