Example 1 (with comma):
- I didn't go to work, because I was sick.
Example 2 (without comma):
- I didn't go to work because I was sick.
Most Japanese learn at school that they should follow the style shown in Example 1.
An anmi-eikaiwa, we teach students to follow Example 2. Let's take a look at the two sentences and their structures to understand why.
1. The word "because" is a dependent marker. A dependent marker is a word that helps connect a dependent clause with an independent clause. There are two ways to use dependent markers: At the very beginning of the sentence or in the middle (these types of sentences are called "complex sentences").
Dependent marker at the beginning:
- [Dependent marker + dependent clause] + [comma] + [independent clause]
- Because I was sick, I didn't go to work.
Dependent marker in the middle:
- [Independent clause] + [dependent marker + dependent clause]
- I didn't go to work because I was sick.
Other dependent markers that serve the same function include:
- before
- since
- while
- although
- if
- until
- when
- then
- after
- as
- as if
Remember: dependent markers tell us which part of the sentence is the dependent clause, which helps us to find the independent clause. In the examples above, "I didn't go to work" is the main point we are trying to say (independent clause). The part about being sick is only extra information to support the main point (dependent clause).
So to keep things simple, when we use the word because in the middle of a sentence (using the word because as the dependent marker before the dependent clause), don't add a comma.
Now, why do most English students want to add a comma before because? In fact, why do many native English speakers (at least in North America) have a similar habit? My guess is that most everyone is confusing because (a dependent marker) with the word so, which is not a dependent marker, but rather a coordinating conjunction. In daily English conversation, many speakers will freely use the word so interchangeably with the word because. As far as anmi-eikaiwa is concerned, this is perfectly OK. In speaking, do whatever you have to do to get the point across. Therefore, it is only natural that most people will want to treat because as a coordinating junction, which does require a preceding comma!
Today's post is concentrating on the written side of English, which is extremely hard and confusing not only for ESL students, but also native English speakers as well. So, if you learn anything at all, please just try to remember to drop the comma before because because you don't need one. (Pun intended.)
More examples and references:
Cambridge Dictionary of American English:
- We can't go to Julia's party because we're going away that weekend.
- The flight was delayed because the weather was bad.
English 2200 with Writing Applications : A Programmed Course in Grammar and Usage:
- English 2200 looks so different because it is built upon some modern learning principles.
The Great Grammar Challenge : Test Yourself on Punctuation, Usage, Grammar-And More
- In this sentence the singular is appropriate because there is only one scholarship to be won.
Complete Idiot's Guide to Grammar and Style 2E (The Complete Idiot's Guide)
- The largest mammals are to be found in the sea because there's nowhere else to put them.
Writing: Grammar, Usage, and Style (Cliffs Quick Review)
- This sentence is correct because both can and will are correct with the base verb.
- Some readers study grammar because they wish to improve their use of the language.
The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language
- "At least two other dictionaries have been of considerable assistance because of their excellent collections of examples from actual corpora: the Cambridge International Dictionary of English edited by Paul Procter . . . "
*Visit http://www.anmiweb.com/anmi-eikaiwa/archives.htm for a complete index of other blog entries.
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Can we add a comma before "because" to make a sentence less confusing?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous: Yes we can, but not often. Here are some examples:
ReplyDelete1. "Long-term suspensions of operations at some nuclear reactors are believed to have increased CO2 emissions resulting from electricity consumption, because fossil fuel plants have been used instead."
In example 1, there might be confusion without the comma since "because fossil fuel plant have been used instead" is modified by "increased CO2 emissions" --not by "resulting from".
2. "America never knows for sure what it is going to get in its next president. It can look back and give thanks that George Washington won in 1789, Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1932, because history might have turned out differently if John Adams, John C. Breckenridge or Herbert Hoover had prevailed, though Mr Adams was to get his chance later and Mr Hoover already had his."
In example 2, "because" is modified by the verb "give thanks" instead of the verb "won".
In summary, it seems that a comma is used before the word "because" when there is a need to clarify which verb from among two or more verbs modifying the dependent clause.
Does this make sense?
Chip
アンミ英会話教室
This argument is good... EXCEPT for this particular example. There is a problem here of negative transfer. In this particular case the two examples actually have different meaning!. The first one means that the reason I didn't go to work was becasue I was sick. The second one could means being sick was not the reason that I went to work. "I didn't go to work because I was sick, rather I went to work because I needed to finish a report."
ReplyDeleteIn this case example 1 is absolutely the right choice. Abiguity of meaning ALWAYS takes priority over rules. After all, the point of writing is to convey meaning.
-Doug
To avoid the problem entirely just write
ReplyDelete"Because I was sick, I didn't go to work." This make the comma usage uncontraversial AND avoids the ambiguity.
-Doug