Punctuation after conjunction like "or" and "and"

Question

I am wondering when we put commas, because in most situations after a conjunction we don't put a comma.

Example:

This must be true or at least truer than the last proposition.

However, we may have a longer sentence.

This must be true or at least, excluding some of the recent findings, truer than the last proposition.

Do we put a comma after findings and before excluding or not?

This must be true or at least excluding some of the recent findings truer than the last proposition.

Kehinde · Answer

It depends on how the sentence is constructed. It is not necessary to put comma before "and". Putting comma before "and" is called Oxford comma.

laugh salutes Monica C · Answer

The usage of commas in the second sentences is correct, not because of the conjunction, but because the words they enclose are a parenthesis in the sentence.

A parenthesis is an "explanatory word, phrase, or sentence inserted in a passage from which it is usually set off by punctuation". The punctuation in use is often commas, but may also be dashes or brackets.

Punctuation after conjunction like "or" and "and"

2 Answers

Add your own answers!

Ask a Question