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Grammar Question - Commas & Because

Posted by Conni Eversull on Tue, Aug 25, 2009 @ 05:00 AM
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We recently received the following grammar question from one of our customers. I thought this question and answer might be useful to other grammarians and maybe even spark a little discussion.

Question

If you can help me solve this nagging grammar issue, I will be eternally grateful and one of your biggest fans. Does the word because require a comma in the following sentence?

'That might be an exaggeration, because we were not physically abused, but Mama didn't hesitate to use the switch.'

More and more I'm seeing a comma precede the word "because," but I never grew up with that rule. Has the rule changed?"

Answer

In the context, a comma after 'abused' is useful because it breaks the otherwise-assumed cause and effect of 'because.' The commas that you do use, which are appropriate, make the phrase 'because we weren't physically abused' into a parenthetical phrase.

Any other thoughts on this, readers?

Tags: ,

Comments

For those looking for a more general response I thought I'd chime in. Don't use a comma with "because" unless the structure of the sentence requires it. Typically clauses beginning with "because" are restrictive and don't require a comma because they are essential information. The example here is not a typical "because" clause.
Posted @ Tuesday, August 25, 2009 9:39 AM by Julie D, Director of Editorial Services at PNCI.com
In some situations it is helpful to ask oneself whether the sentence changes meaning if the comma were to be omitted. For example, “I thought he loved me because I was not quite right in the head” is ambiguous; did he love me because I was a little bonkers, or did I (being cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs) just THINK he loved me? The addition of a comma after “me” would more clearly indicate the latter.
Posted @ Wednesday, September 09, 2009 3:53 PM by Amy D.
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