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Commas After Introductions
Brought to you by the Purdue University Online Witing Lab at http://owl.english.purdue.edu
Introductory Clauses
Introductory clauses are dependent clauses that provide background
information or "set the stage" for the main part of the sentence, the
independent clause. For example:
- If they want to win, athletes must exercise every day. (introductory
dependent clause, main clause)
- Because he kept barking insistently, we threw the ball for
Smokey. (introductory dependent clause, main clause)
Clue: Introductory clauses start with adverbs like after,
although, as, because, before, if,
since, though, until, when, etc.
Introductory Phrases
Introductory phrases also set the stage for the main action of the
sentence, but they are not complete clauses. Phrases don't have both
a subject and a verb that are separate from the subject and verb in
the main clause of the sentence. Common introductory phrases include
prepositional phrases, appositive phrases, participial phrases, infinitive
phrases, and absolute phrases.
- To stay in shape for competition, athletes must exercise every day.
(introductory infinitive phrase, main clause)
- Barking insistently, Smokey got us to throw his ball for him. (introductory
participial phrase, main clause)
- A popular and well respected mayor, Bailey was the clear favorite
in the campaign for governor. (introductory appositive phrase, main
clause)
- The wind blowing violently, the townspeople began to seek shelter.
(introductory absolute phrase, main clause)
- After the adjustment for inflation, real wages have decreased while
corporate profits have grown. (introductory prepositional phrases,
main clause)
Introductory Words
Introductory words like however, still, furthermore,
and meanwhile create continuity from one sentence to the next.
- The coaches reviewed the game strategy. Meanwhile, the athletes
trained on the Nautilus equipment.
- Most of the evidence seemed convincing. Still, the credibility
of some witnesses was in question.
When to Use a Comma
Introductory elements often require a comma, but not always. Use a
comma in the following cases:
- after an introductory clause. (Does the introductory element have
a subject and verb of its own?)
- after a long introductory prepositional phrase or more than one
introductory prepositional phrase. (Are there more than five words
before the main clause?)
- after introductory verbal phrases, some appositive phrases, or absolute
phrases.
- if there is a distinct pause. (When you read the sentence aloud,
do you find your voice pausing a moment after the introductory element?)
- to avoid confusion. (Might a reader have to read the sentence more
than once to make sense of it?)
When not to Use a Comma
Some introductory elements don't require a comma, and sometimes the
subject of a sentence looks like an introductory element but isn't.
Do not use a comma in the following cases:
Each of the following sentences may look like it requires a comma after
the opening segment (marked with an x), but the opening segment
is really the subject. It's sometimes easy to confuse gerund- or infinitive-phrase
subjects like the following with nonessential introductory phrases,
so be careful. (For more help with gerunds, see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_verbals.html.)
- Preparing and submitting his report to the committee for evaluation
and possible publication[x] was one of the most difficult
tasks Bill had ever attempted.
- To start a new business without doing market research and long-term
planning in advance[x] would be foolish.
- Extracting the most profit for the least expenditure on labor and
materials[x] is the primary goal of a capitalist.
There is an exercise with an answer key. Click here for he exercise
at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_commaintEX1.html.
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