I know this may be kind of embarrassing... (comma before "but"?)

This is how my 7th grade English teacher taught me how to do it, and it's never failed me since:

-Identify FANBOY (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)
-Put your finger over/block out the FANBOY.

-Are there two full sentences (subject with verb) on either side of the fanboy? If so, insert the comma.
i.e. The boy wanted a dog, but his parents bought him a cat.
the boy wanted a dog = full sentence.
his parents bought him a cat = full sentence

-Is there a full sentence on one side but a fragment on the other? If so, no comma.
i.e. The boy and his cat frolicked outside.
the boy = fragment
his cat frolicked outside = full sentence

(I hope you enjoyed by touching story of a boy and his cat )

I didn't know that! I'm sure I've gotten that wrong a time or twenty.

(And I've been doing this writing thing for longer than many of you have been alive.)

It pays to hang around this section of the Cooler.

Depends.

I have pancakes on Sundays but never on Mondays.

There's no reason for this that I know of, but that's how I will always eat my pancakes.

If you apply the "independent clauses, could each be individual sentences" rule of thumb, like you would for semicolons, I guess that works... tho' the second clause in the second example doesn't make for an elegant standalone sentence, it's just a simple statement. So I guess ", but" is good for joining simple statements into more complex sentences.

OK, need more caffeine...

-Derek

Perfect timing - a couple of crits over on CC have picked up my lack of commas and I had no idea what the rule was here! Thanks guys.

In different ways, Dpaterso, Peachiemkey, and Sage correctly cite the first rule below. The other four comma rules are handy, also:

Here are five easy rules (with examples) for necessary commas. Some comma uses are optional. The vast majority of the remainder are superfluous -- excessive, pointless, unnecessary.

1. A comma is necessary to separate a compound structure, two or more main clauses joined by one of the seven coordinating conjunctions: and, or, nor, but, for, yet, so.
The woman drank black coffee, and she ate a croissant.

You can conduct yourself in a pleasant manner, or you can be horrible.

Evan loves Susanne, but he cannot forget Elena.

If the writer chooses to make those constructions into simple sentences, then the comma is not used:
The woman drank black coffee and ate a croissant.

You can conduct yourself in a pleasant manner or be horrible.

Evan loves Susanne but cannot forget Elena.

2. A comma is necessary to separate a long introductory element before a main clause. The rule holds true for both simple and complex constructions.

Even though ignorant of our culture, we must always be kind to strangers. (Simple)

Since Constance is new to our company, all of us should strive to help her. (Complex)

It is always correct to set off any introductory element with a comma, but custom has made the practice optional for shorter elements. Either is acceptable:

Later, you can join us for dessert.

Later you can join us for dessert.

3. Commas separate items in a series:

James found blondes attractive, redheads adorable, and brunettes irresistible.

The final comma before the conjunction is always correct. However, the journalistic practice which came about due to briefer construction (and to save on the cost of lead when linotypes were used) is a viable option:
James found blondes attractive, redheads adorable and brunettes irresistible.

Also correct is: James found blondes attractive, redheads adorable, brunettes irresistible.

4. Interjections and forms of address are set off with commas.

Yes, I will accompany you to the ball.

No, I won’t!

You, sir, are out of line.

You may be assured, ma’am, of our concern.

Are you certain of that prognosis, Doctor?

Thank you, Mother, for all you do.

There’s a world of difference in "Let’s eat, Grandma" and "Let’s eat Grandma."

5. Appositives are words, phrases, or clauses of explanation or further identification. They must be set off with commas fore and aft. The rule includes the state following the name of a city and the year following the day of the month.

Mrs. Ellen Bennet, my mother, is in the drawing room.

The Brooklyn Bridge, as opposed to this matchstick construction, is sturdy and reliable.

He was born on June 23, 1941, near Big Timber, Montana, along the Yellowstone River.

5A. The final necessary use of the comma is the most difficult for many writers. It’s actually the same as rule 5, but it’s often presented in isolation because of its difficulty. As with appositives, it separates nonrestrictive clauses in a sentence. The nonrestrictive clause is not essential to the sentence. It merely adds information:

Abraham Lincoln, who was the tallest of U.S. presidents, was an imposing figure of a man.

The grizzly, a bear misunderstood by tourists, is named Ursus horribilis for good reason.

By contrast, a restrictive clause is essential to the sentence:

The lady who cried is my mother.

The man who shot Liberty Valance became a state senator.

urbanespaceman said:

Perfect timing - a couple of crits over on CC have picked up my lack of commas and I had no idea what the rule was here! Thanks guys.

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For a literary novel you want the whole complement of commas and semicolons, but for many genres it's better to just breeze through. Flow is more important than grammar.

Chase said:

James found blondes attractive, redheads adorable, and brunettes irresistible.

The final comma before the conjunction is always correct. However, the journalistic practice which came about due to briefer construction (and to save on the cost of lead when linotypes were used) is a viable option:
James found blondes attractive, redheads adorable and brunettes irresistible.

Also correct is: James found blondes attractive, redheads adorable, brunettes irresistible.

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They'll get my final comma when they pry it from my cold, dead hands.

*ahem* Sorry. I just get really tired of people trying to break me of the final comma. (Not you, obviously,your example was lovely)

Sage said:

Well, the original question was for using the word "but" so that's what we answered.

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I meant my comment as kudos not criticism. You were all correct to answer specifically, and I'll admit my backup went well into overkill.

Julie Worth said:

For a literary novel you want the whole complement of commas and semicolons, but for many genres it's better to just breeze through. Flow is more important than grammar.

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I'm puzzled how a genre deserves lesser punctuation, but rather than disagree, Julie, I suspect from samples of your writing that when you breeze through a story, it flows quite well.

However, many who have no concept of the comma other than a vague pause for breath seldom create anything like a flowing quality.

Kathleen42 said:

They'll get my final comma when they pry it from my cold, dead hands. Sorry. I just get really tired of people trying to break me of the final comma.

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Me, too. I understand that a comma may not be needed to describe the French flag is white, blue, and red. Yet many more complicated items in a series are confused by prying loose the final comma.

Comma bans deny our first amendment right to keep and bear commas in defense of meaning, consistency, and personal style.

selenawemiss said:

but I want to ask just to make sure. Should there be a comma before you say the word but in a sentence?

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When you say the word 'but', you don't need commas at all. Punctuation is only relevant to written communication. I know, I know, massively pedantic and yet I see people very often trying to claim that punctuation is used in written language simply to mirror the patterns of spoken language. Commas do not necessarily mean 'pause for breath'. When you're speaking, you can pause anywhere you like, for a number of different reasons. When you're writing, your punctuation is a matter of grammatical and syntactical precision.

/rant

Also, the other thing which I don't think anyone has so far mentioned is that this is an area where British and American English are different, so it does depend where you are and who your target audience is. In the UK it is not usually necessary to use a comma before but (or and) even when they are introducing a new clause.

Kathleen42 said:

They'll get my final comma when they pry it from my cold, dead hands.

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I hear ya! I love it.

If people bug you about it, tell them to google "Oxford comma" for proof that it's correct. "The Oxford comma" is what it's called, or rather, that's one of the names for it; the others are "Harvard comma" or, more technically, "serial comma." The most commonly used name seems to be "Oxford comma," and I like that term for the snob appeal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_comma

girlyswot said:

Also, the other thing which I don't think anyone has so far mentioned is that this is an area where British and American English are different, so it does depend where you are and who your target audience is. In the UK it is not usually necessary to use a comma before but (or and) even when they are introducing a new clause.

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Yes, I've noticed--there seems to be some kind of chronic comma shortage in British writing. You folks write things like, "Well I don't know but I think it's true." We Yanks would want to see two commas in there: "Well, I don't know, but I think it's true."

I'm sorry we took all your commas when we came over on the Mayflower. We have plenty, so let us know if you want some of them back...

Commas are indeed falling out of fashion over here. I try to keep them to a minimum but even then my editor strikes about half of them out! He says they make a page of text look messy. I don't like the Oxford comma at all. It seems unnecessary. At school I was taught that you either used a comma or a conjunction but not both.


See? No commas. Please keep ours with our compliments, ideagirl, but how about sending us your President in return...