Common mistake comma between independent clauses

Common Mistakes in English Grammar

English grammar can be tricky and confusing, leading to common mistakes that many people make. One such mistake is the incorrect use of commas between independent clauses.

Comma Usage

A comma is used to separate elements in a sentence and provide clarity. When it comes to independent clauses, which are complete thoughts that can stand alone as sentences, the use of a comma depends on the relationship between the clauses.

Generally, a comma is needed before a coordinating conjunction (such as "and," "but," "or," etc.) that connects two independent clauses. However, there are exceptions when the clauses are closely connected and short.

Example 1:

Incorrect: I went to the store, and I bought some groceries.

Correct: I went to the store and bought some groceries.

In this example, the independent clauses "I went to the store" and "I bought some groceries" are closely connected and short. Therefore, a comma is not necessary before the coordinating conjunction "and."

Example 2:

Incorrect: She walked to work, but she forgot her umbrella.

Correct: She walked to work but forgot her umbrella.

In this example, the independent clauses "She walked to work" and "She forgot her umbrella" are also closely connected and short. Hence, a comma is not required before the coordinating conjunction "but."

Example 3:

Incorrect: He studied hard, so he passed the exam.

Correct: He studied hard so he passed the exam.

In this example, the independent clauses "He studied hard" and "He passed the exam" are closely connected and short. Thus, a comma is unnecessary before the coordinating conjunction "so."

It's important to note that while the use of a comma between independent clauses is generally correct, there are instances when it is not necessary.

For a comprehensive and reliable grammar checker to help you identify and correct such mistakes, consider using Linguix. Linguix offers advanced grammar checking and writing insights that can assist you in enhancing your writing skills.

comma between independent clauses mistake examples

Incorrect:
I'm sorry but Google Spreadsheets isn't supported yet.

Correct:
I'm sorry, but Google Spreadsheets isn't supported yet.
Incorrect:
The smart plug works although the repeater always show no recent activity.

Correct:
The smart plug works, although the repeater always show no recent activity.
Incorrect:
Pardon me but your fly is undone.

Correct:
Pardon me, but your fly is undone.
Incorrect:
As of a storm in spring 2009, the sign is no longer there although the supporting posts are still visible.

Correct:
As of a storm in spring 2009, the sign is no longer there, although the supporting posts are still visible.
Incorrect:
In 1999, Cygnus offered Cygwin 1.0 as a commercial product of interest in its own right although subsequent versions have not been released, instead relying on continued open source releases.

Correct:
In 1999, Cygnus offered Cygwin 1.0 as a commercial product of interest in its own right, although subsequent versions have not been released, instead relying on continued open source releases.
Incorrect:
The second phase would have added 1,444 MW this year but its contractors stopped work this month as lenders were unwilling to support the venture.

Correct:
The second phase would have added 1,444 MW this year, but its contractors stopped work this month as lenders were unwilling to support the venture.
Incorrect:
Balaguer won in 1994 but most observers felt the election had been stolen.

Correct:
Balaguer won in 1994, but most observers felt the election had been stolen.
Incorrect:
Our goal is to make this life changing step easy and affordable so average folks like you can benefit from the advantages of being ordained.

Correct:
Our goal is to make this life changing step easy and affordable, so average folks like you can benefit from the advantages of being ordained.
Incorrect:
Here is the original response but the letter pretty much supersedes this document.

Correct:
Here is the original response, but the letter pretty much supersedes this document.
Incorrect:
I've tried to approve but no products will come into the queue.

Correct:
I've tried to approve, but no products will come into the queue.
Correct:
Owners of an Amazon Echo Show or Echo Spot can now fully answer Ring doorbells.
Correct:
Not only Jim but his parents are sick.
Correct:
Most are herbs, climber herbs, woody lianas or shrubs but some genus are canopy evergreen lauroid trees.
Correct:
It changed the rules, and it did so after the election was over.
Correct:
It is not clear yet when the discussions will be completed and wham a final decision will be issued
Correct:
I laughed so hard tears streamed down my face.
Correct:
Townsend's methodologically adventurous but ultimately cautious essay is another valuable lesson in the danger of establishing the date of Acts–or any work–by arguing for the earliest possible time of origin.
Correct:
Engine fuel is stored in tanks, usually in the wings but larger aircraft also have additional fuel tanks in the fuselage.
Correct:
How could so many people go along with this?
Correct:
So far two customers has dropped out but argues it is small compared to its client base of 150 odd companies.
Correct:
We can now consider yet another interesting argument proposed by Socrates.
Correct:
Every inline element that has a width but no text content should become a `\uFEFF` during parsing.
Correct:
Functions that have only poles but no essential singularities are called meromorphic.
Correct:
... and that it hires so many people so fast that processes break down.

Incorrect:
What is this and why would you want to do it?

Correct:
What is this, and why would you want to do it?
Incorrect:
I understand but what is your preferred solution?

Correct:
I understand, but what is your preferred solution?
Incorrect:
Thanks John so what should I do?

Correct:
Thanks John, so what should I do?
Incorrect:
What is consciousness and why did it evolve?

Correct:
What is consciousness, and why did it evolve?
Correct:
What time and where will we meet?
Correct:
Do you know Majid Oukacha, the French podcaster who dared to criticize Islam and who is threatened now?
Correct:
Who exactly is a God and who isn't?
Correct:
Rob the Church of her accessories and what remains behind?
Correct:
Which foods are rich in calories and which aren't?

Incorrect:
I'm sorry but Google isn't supported yet.

Correct:
I'm sorry, but Google isn't supported yet.
Incorrect:
I could always yell out to Alexa but this seems like a more civilized solution.

Correct:
I could always yell out to Alexa, but this seems like a more civilized solution.
Incorrect:
Sorry to say but there isn’t much support left for X-10 in the market place.

Correct:
Sorry to say, but there isn’t much support left for X-10 in the market place.
Incorrect:
I only need on/off so these should work.

Correct:
I only need on/off, so these should work.
Incorrect:
Doorbell notifications work but that’s it.

Correct:
Doorbell notifications work, but that’s it.
Incorrect:
Some people talk smart but act like future Darwin Award winners.

Correct:
Some people talk smart, but act like future Darwin Award winners.
Correct:
Owners of an Amazon Echo Show or Echo Spot can now fully answer Ring doorbells.
Correct:
It seems nobody but Tom does that.
Correct:
It seems no one but Tom does that.
Correct:
Yet an organization composed of nothing but malcontents won't work.
Correct:
A building designed so inmates can't flee.
Correct:
A wild card here is DaBryan Blanton, the small but lightning fast running back from Forney.
Correct:
You shouldn't have given up so quickly Sami dressed like a ninja assassin.
Correct:
Caesar, seeking the legitimacy an endorsement by a senior senator would provide, courted Cicero's favour, but even so Cicero slipped out of Italy and traveled to Dyrrachium (Epidamnos), Illyria, where Pompey's staff was situated.
Correct:
... for these games to offer employees and that so many were disappointed.
Correct:
Property crime from 2005 to 2006 was unchanged across the country and in Cleveland, with larceny-theft down by 7% but burglaries up almost 14%.
Correct:
The magic of GTD as a productivity framework is that it shapes your system, so that there are little to no surprises.

Incorrect:
It was raining and the game was called off.

Correct:
It was raining, and the game was called off.
Incorrect:
Gómez was defeated and captured and the rebellion was snuffed out.

Correct:
Gómez was defeated, and captured, and the rebellion was snuffed out.
Incorrect:
That is exactly what it was and your response was both thoughtful and informative.

Correct:
That is exactly what it was, and your response was both thoughtful, and informative.
Incorrect:
I looked back and the truck was ordering.

Correct:
I looked back, and the truck was ordering.
Incorrect:
The motor is shot or the regulator is dry and binding.

Correct:
The motor is shot, or the regulator is dry and binding.
Correct:
That's the same voltage that's measured when the switch is off and the wire is connected.
Correct:
I can confirm the light goes on when a code is entered or the door is unlocked manually.
Correct:
I think I forgot to ask or check in the lead up – is the damage boost from Life calculated before or after the Ally has been successfully devoured?
Correct:
They would reset back to zero when 1 of the 3 is not completed or a day is missed.
Correct:
He said he looked and the oil was fine.
Correct:
If that doesn't work and the battery is connected to the harness properly, you're going to need some voltage tests done by a shop to figure it out.
Correct:
If there is and the shop is denying responsibility, you have a legal case.
Correct:
Hourly polling or even every 15 minutes doesn't have that much of an impact on battery life.
Correct:
What is often overlooked or even unknown is that many of those debts are far more extreme.
Correct:
This deal either needs to be extended or a new deal needs to be set up.
Correct:
Poorly explained or misunderstood messages can also result in confusion.
Correct:
After the bankruptcy is annulled or the bankrupt has been automatically discharged, the bankrupt's credit report status will be shown as "discharged bankrupt" for some years.
Correct:
This is important because WABC's past strategy of attaining roughly 10% EPS growth was heavily dependent on heavy share repurchase and expense savings as opposed to top line growth.
Correct:
Take two: Aspirin, New uses and new dangers are still being discovered as aspirin enters its 2nd century.

Incorrect:
The weather is great and again the game was called off.

Correct:
The weather is great, and again the game was called off.
Correct:
They do unannounced and undocumented cloud side changes all the time.
Correct:
It's primary and core purpose is SmartThings control.
Correct:
We don't even send a verification e-mail to check if the address is valid and the user owns it.
Correct:
I couldn't tell wether they are tight or the price is just high.
Correct:
Either this man is dead or my watch has stopped.
Correct:
Individuals at risk of a severe withdrawal syndrome as well as those who have significant or acute comorbid conditions are generally treated as inpatients.

Incorrect:
I'm sorry but a lot of these features aren't supported yet.

Correct:
I'm sorry, but a lot of these features aren't supported yet.
Incorrect:
Thanks for that but none of those items seems to apply to us.

Correct:
Thanks for that, but none of those items seems to apply to us.
Incorrect:
A fallback plan is in place in the event any problems are encountered so your access to services will resume on schedule.

Correct:
A fallback plan is in place in the event any problems are encountered, so your access to services will resume on schedule.
Incorrect:
I had a question but the guy from Walmart already answered it.

Correct:
I had a question, but the guy from Walmart already answered it.
Incorrect:
I wasn't sure but Tom from finance helped me.

Correct:
I wasn't sure, but Tom from finance helped me.
Correct:
We don't have yet any report on Broadband that might help you, developed internally by my group.
Correct:
AT\u0026amp;T hasn't completed yet the number of network miles required by the agreement.

Incorrect:
I'm sorry but many of these are not ready yet.

Correct:
I'm sorry, but many of these are not ready yet.
Correct:
I have just been so busy with the write on competition for law review.

Incorrect:
I'm sorry but Google's latest software isn't supported yet.

Correct:
I'm sorry, but Google's latest software isn't supported yet.
Incorrect:
I'm sorry but my friends' dogs cannot come.

Correct:
I'm sorry, but my friends' dogs cannot come.
Incorrect:
I'm sorry but my best friend's new dog cannot attend.

Correct:
I'm sorry, but my best friend's new dog cannot attend.
Incorrect:
Mom's goal was to graduate college but dad's goal was mom.

Correct:
Mom's goal was to graduate college, but dad's goal was mom.
Correct:
WorldCom said that although Verizon's rates increased very little since the plan's inception, they are excessive, as shown by the incumbent's 33% return on equity.
Correct:
The irony is that although the public's opinion is important, it must pay for its acceptance.
Correct:
As he did so the Frenchman's car began smoking and on lap 16 he dropped out, leaving Amon (who had overtaken Rodriguez) in the lead.

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