DU English majors

[DemocratSinceBirth]

The more I write the more concerned I am about grammatical errors. I now wish I didn't blow off English in junior high school. I figured if you could spell correctly you were fine.

My question is about commas and the word but. When does a comma precede the word but?

I like pie but I like cake better. (No comma needed) Right?


Donald trump's orange hue is distracting, but what is more distracting is his eight dimensional comb over. Right ?

[dchill]

1. +1000

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. TY. We had to read To Kill A Mockingbird and Flowers For Algernon.

Those were great books.

[mcar]

3. A+

[annabanana]

4. Do you happen to know the governing rule?

When I read those two examples, it makes sense (audibly) but I don't know why.

[MelissaB]

5. Read #2 here:

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/commas.htm

[DemocratSinceBirth]

6. I usually get stuff right.

But ask me about independent clauses, participles, and subjunctive clauses and I'm lost.

[mcar]

7. DSB's second example needs a comma

because it is separating two clauses or two different thoughts.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. 'Audibly' is a good rule of thumb. A comma indicates a slight pause

The first example is very short, and you might say it out loud all in one go (though you might also pause after 'pie', and a comma would indicate that). In longer sentences, you are more likely to pause (for breath, if nothing else) before the 'but'.

[malthaussen]

8. A comma is optional in the first sentence.

Using one will not impair clarity.

Essentially, commas separate clauses, which are distinct ideas within sentences. Commas are not necessary (but do not impair clarity) if one is simply making a comparison, as in the first sentence.

Also, remember the Oxford Comma and keep it wholly.

-- Mal

[librechik]

9. commas are needed for clarity in long sentences with conjunctive phrases

avoid those. Problem disappears. Your last example in the OP should be broken into two short sentences.

"by the way" phrases like "you know" and "so it seems" are often struck off with a comma, but strictness about grammar is disappearing only a little slower than cursive writing. Now I'm going to shorten that for clarity:

No worries! Write what you observe!

[hunter]

11. If I ever stopped to think about my spelling or grammar I'd be unable to write.

The gears in my head would grind to a halt.

I have a minor in English. It wasn't called a minor when I graduated because universities in the 'seventies were still experimenting with non-traditional nomenclatures for their degrees, but that's what it was. I also wrote for the college newspaper. When I got my exams, stories, and editorials back they were always very well marked up in colored ink (and sometimes more colorful language) but rarely for any bad grammar, even when my grammar was rotten.

My method is to write first and fix it later. I don't do a lot of fixing on DU except for the most blatant errors.

It becomes a political problem when conscientious people are inhibited by the simple mechanics of writing while the incurious and deplorable are freely spewing their shit everywhere.

[annabanana]

13. "the incurious and deplorable are freely spewing their shit everywhere"

By their spelling shall we know them...

[tblue37]

12. Visit my "Grammar and Usage for the Non-Expert" site:

http://www.grammartips.homestead.com

Here is a quick run-down, though.

About 95%= comma before a coordinating conjunction if the coordinate elements are independent clauses in a compound sentence.

Generally, no comma before a coordinating conjunction when (just two) coordinate elements are NOT independent clauses.

SOMETIMES--but not usually, because it is a heavy spice--for pause/emphasis you can use the comma with two coordinate elements that are not independent clauses if the coordinating conjunction is a contrastive (but, or, nor, yet)

Rarely (but not never) you can use a comma between coordinate elements that are not independent clauses, even when the conjunction is not a contrastive. Usually, that works only when the second element is longish, and usually when it is part of a compound predicate.

I hope this helps.

On Edit: BOTH are OK, depending on the emphasis/effect you want:

[block quote]I like pie but I like cake better
I like pie, but I like cake better.