Writing Tips

Commas: Independent and Dependent Clauses

Using commas in complex sentences can be annoying if you don't know how to do it.

The shortest sentences have a noun and a verb, or a noun, verb, and predicate.  A predicate is something that comes after the verb, like: She ran away.  In this sentence, away is an adverb describing where she ran.  Longer sentences go on and add two subjects together, or two verbs.  

Also, a complete sentence might have a comma added to it so that an incomplete sentence can be added to it.  That's the target topic of this chapter.  Independent and dependent "clauses."

In creative writing, we can get away with incomplete sentences.  Why?  Impact.  A single word can deliver a stronger emotion than a long, drawn-out sentence.  But to write most sentences properly, as in for academic writing or peer reviewed articles?  Single words cannot serve as sentences, and neither can incomplete ones.

Also in academic writing, you cannot start sentences with but, and, or, and in college papers you're often not allowed to even write the words I , me, my, us, or you.

There are standards in every corner, and each has reasons.  But other things are universal and are applied in any good writing.

The Independent Clause:

This phrase serves as editor and English teacher jargon for "a complete sentence."  An independent clause has everything it needs to slam the door shut and lock it tight.  It can have two subjects and one verb, or two verbs and one subject, or even two subjects and two verbs.

Sue and Dan walk together.

Sue plays rough and works hard.

Sue and Dan love and care for one another.

Those are simple, complete sentences.  Now, if you are connecting two short, complete sentences together, you may not have to add in a comma, as long as it has the connective words "and / or / but" or both the overall complete ideas are very closely related and / or are very short with no contradictory elements.

For longer complete sentences with prepositional phrases and such parenthetical or antithetical doohickeys, you will want to add in a comma to separate the sentences / interruptive elements.

Margarette fell into the well because she tripped and fell over a stray cat.  (Usually no comma needed.  The second sentence explains the first, yet both can stand alone, and the word "because" serves as a proper transitional word. However, take note that some publishing houses prefer to keep the comma before the subordinating conjunction to clarify very, very subtle differences in is it because of that, or does because serve as more of a normal subordinating conjunction?) Usually you can just weigh whether or not the sentence would be confusing and then make a decision. Also consider whether the because sentence is restrictive or nonrestrictive, or if it begins a series of parenthetical elements that all start with because and which are separated by commas.

An example sentence where one sentence is not subjugated by the first:

I looked up to watch the birds fly South, and the naked mole rat I was holding bit my hand.  (Two complete sentences, but one does not explain the other and is not subjugated by it in any other way.)

The Dependent Clause:

Have an incomplete sentence in there somewhere?  Here's an example:

If it rains.

That's so incomplete that it makes my academic eyeballs twitch. Here's the trick. If a slice like this starts with some kind of connector word, like "and", or "when", or "because", (etc.), then it will usually not need a comma if it is placed after the Independent Clause (aka "complete sentence).

But. If it is placed before? You bet your fleshy hindquarters, you better use that soul-saving comma!

There is a slight exception, though, as with many English rules: If the dependent clause as an intro to the independent clause is three or less words, you may omit the comma. This is especially true if other commas in the sentence might be mixed up with the intro's comma and muddle the meaning of the whole sentence.

But if you're unsure, rewrite it or omit that comma.

The recapitulation:

Use the comma in this one: If it rains, carry an umbrella.

Don't use a comma in this one: Carry an umbrella if it rains.

The more complex sentences can be modeled off the shorter ones, so make sure you pay attention to the structures of your sentences.  It will also help if you have a clearer understanding of what a "clause" is, if this concept is new or still a bit confusing to you.

Consistency would be the next thing you'll need to cover.  When multiple clauses are put together, you'll need the same verb number and tenses to occur in both. 

You can't have the verb end in -ing in the first element and then not have an -ing verb to match it in the second part of that whole sentence. 

The placement of the clauses and commas can also lead to misplaced modifiers and other things. Split infinitives, gerunds, and dangling and misplaced modifiers are all very similar and face pretty much the same rules.