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An independent clause and a sentence are the same thing. And the first rule of all punctuation is that a comma goes before a coordinate conjunction that connects independent clauses. The fact that ...

When we say, "Do not put a comma after 'so,'" we are talking about a single separating comma. A pair of commas can go anywhere. There is never a single comma after "so." We have this confusion ofte...

When yes and no or any of the words that indicate affirmative or negative are in the middle of a sentence, they are surrounded by commas. ...And, yes, he did accompany us the first time. ...He was...

Don't forget that a parenthetical has to be surrounded by punctuation. When the parenthetical follows the word and, for example, there has to be a pair of commas around the parenthetical. ...And i...

When a noun clause direct object is pulled out to the front of the sentence -- where it does NOT belong -- it takes a comma after it before the subject and verb in the sentence. ...Where she was t...

Do not use a separating comma after the coordinate conjunctions -- and, but, or, nor -- nor after the one-syllable conjunctive adverbs -- thus, hence, still, then, so, yet. However, don't forget th...

When an indefinite pronoun renames one noun, use a comma. ...He saw several books, none of which interested him. ...We looked at three models, each of which had some interesting features. ...I tal...

When dependent clauses are joined by a coordinate conjunction, there is no comma because there is not an independent subject and verb after the conjunction. ...I was more concerned when I got ther...

When two INDEPENDENT clauses are linked by a coordinate conjunction, there is a comma before the conjunction; when there is not an independent clause, independent subject and verb, after the coordi...