Comma Before or After And | Rules & Examples
In English, you must put a comma before ‘and’ when it connects two independent clauses. A clause is independent when it could stand on its own as a sentence–it has its own subject and verb.
But when ‘and’ connects two verbs with the same subject, you shouldn’t use a comma.
In this case, Jagmeet is the subject who performs both actions (walking and arriving).
Comma before ‘and’ connecting independent clauses
You can recognise that you need a comma before ‘and’ when you’re connecting two clauses with separate subjects and verbs.
This applies even when the second subject is a pronoun referring to the same person or thing as the first subject, or when the second clause repeats the same verb from the first.
Bob goes to church on Sunday morning, and he goes swimming in the afternoon.
It rained yesterday, and it didn’t rain today.
But it’s often better to simplify phrasings like these by omitting the second subject. This way, you remove the need for a comma and make the sentence less repetitive.
Bob goes to church on Sunday morning and swims in the afternoon.
It rained yesterday and not today.
Most style guides do make an exception for short sentences where the two independent clauses are simple and closely related. In these cases, the comma is optional.
Janice speaks, and Justine listens.
When you don’t need a comma before ‘and’
As a conjunction, ‘and’ can also connect all kinds of different words: adjectives, nouns, verbs, and so on. When ‘and’ joins two words like this, rather than joining two full independent clauses, it’s incorrect to use a comma.
- Jeremy, and Paul have three cats.
- Jeremy and Paul have three cats.
- The wallpaper was blue, and green.
- The wallpaper was blue and green.
- To relax on Sundays, I read a book, and listen to music.
- To relax on Sundays, I read a book and listen to music.
However, at the end of a list of three or more items, a comma may be used before ‘and’. This is called the Oxford comma (or serial comma). It’s usually recommended to use it.
When do you need a comma after ‘and’?
As a general rule, you don’t need a comma after and. Even if you start a sentence with an introductory ‘and’, you should not place a comma after it.
- The future is bright. And, it’s coming faster than you think.
The only occasion when a comma might appear after ‘and’ is when the sentence is interrupted at that point by a parenthetical phrase set off by commas.
David felt relieved and, to a certain extent, proud.
Worksheet: Comma before or after and
Do you want to test your knowledge about when to use a comma before or after and? Use our practice worksheet below. Just insert commas into the sentences wherever you think they’re needed, and then check your work against the answers provided.
- He travelled to France on Thursday and she followed on Friday.
- Julia and I are going to a concert and Siobhan might join us.
- My favorite vegetables are broccoli cucumber and courgette.
- The old man sighed and walked away.
- My partner cooks and I clean.
- I’m surprised and to be honest disappointed.
- He travelled to France on Thursday, and she followed on Friday.
- The ‘and’ here connects two independent clauses, so a comma is needed.
- Julia and I are going to a concert, and Siobhan might join us.
- The first ‘and’ just connects the two subjects, so there’s no comma. The second ‘and’ introduces a second independent clause, so a comma is used.
- My favorite vegetables are broccoli, cucumber(,) and courgette.
- The first comma is necessary to separate the first two items in the list. The one before ‘and’ is an Oxford comma. The Oxford comma is optional, but most style guides recommend using it.
- The old man sighed and walked away.
- The ‘and’ here connects two verbs with the same subject (the old man), so there’s no comma.
- My partner cooks(,) and I clean.
- This ‘and’ connects two independent clauses, but since they’re very short and closely linked, the comma is optional.
- I’m surprised and, to be honest, disappointed.
- Here a comma appears after ‘and’, because the phrase ‘to be honest’ is inserted parenthetically. Another comma appears afterwards, to close this parenthetical phrase.
Sources for this article
We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.
This Scribbr articleCaulfield, J. (2023, March 20). Comma Before or After And | Rules & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 22 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/comma/comma-after-or-before-and/
Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015). Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Garner, B. A. (2016). Garner’s modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
