Comma After 'so' or 'And'

Punctuation Marks

There are different punctuation marks in the English language, and they each have a particular job to do. When used in different ways, they help reading become meaningful and expressive. Just as there are different types of punctuation marks, there are also different parts of speech. A good reader, writer, and speaker must understand how to use both correctly so that they can maximize their usage potential. For example, a comma can serve as a signal to a reader or speaker that he or she should take a brief pause. Let's take a closer look at maximizing comma usage for reading enhancement.

Conjunctions

You're probably too young to remember the Schoolhouse Rock 'Conjunction Junction, what's your function?' song, but your parents may have grow up watching that show on Saturday mornings. The song makes for an effective learning tool, so if you have the time, search for it on Google. At the very least, you'll get a good laugh. Conjunctions are words used to connect phrases or multiple sentences together. A phrase is a group of words that does not express a complete thought, as opposed to a complete sentence that has a subject and a predicate and does express a complete thought.

The most commonly used conjunctions are:

• For
• And
• Nor
• But
• Or
• Yet
• So

The word FANBOYS can help you remember them. While there are other conjunctions, these are the ones that are used the most. Some examples of a conjunction connecting two words include 'John and Michael,' 'blue or green,' and 'Neither Lucy nor Jose.' No comma is needed when a conjunction is only combining standalone words.

Comma Before 'And' & 'So'

Although commas are used in many different ways, in this video we're only going to address the use of commas with the conjunctions 'and' and 'so.'

A comma should be used with conjunctions, such as 'and' or 'so,' when they're combining two or more complete sentences. When a comma and conjunction are used to combine sentences, the comma always goes before the conjunction. Let's take a look at an example:

I will go to the store, and I will not buy any candy.

The conjunction in this sentence is 'and.' This sentence requires the comma before the conjunction 'and' because 'I will go to the store' can stand alone as a complete sentence. 'I will not buy any candy' can also stand alone as a complete sentence. Using 'and' helps combine two small sentences to make one long sentence. Let's look at another example:

He ate all the candy, so I will go to the store and buy more.

This sentence uses the conjunction 'so.' Here it combines the two complete sentences: 'He ate all the candy' and 'I will go to the store to buy more.'

Just as there is a time to use a comma before conjunctions, there is also a time for using a comma after conjunctions. One example of when to use a comma after a conjunction is when the conjunction is the first or introductory word in a sentence.

When a conjunction is used as an introductory word, it usually signals a continuation of thought from the previous sentence. As such, it helps to promote a smooth transition from one sentence to the next. Let's look at some examples:

'We have to ride a bus to get to our plane. So, we will leave early to make it on time.'

'Sally saw a movie; she already knew the end. And, the best part is, she did not tell the others!'

In both of the above examples, a comma was used after the conjunctions 'and' and 'so.'