Two sentences joined by and...comma?

Provrb1810meggy · Dec 27, 2006

Hey, this is a question that's been bugging me for a while.

Let's say you have a sentence such as: I'll go to the store and I'll buy a walrus.

Would you put a comma before the and? I think I've seen this a few different ways. In my own writing, I put in commas sometimes and sometimes I don't. Somewhere along the way, I think I learned I was supposed to, but I think I also heard that it used to be expected, but isn't anymore. Can someone help me out? I want my manuscript to be consistent and grammatically correct.

Melanie Nilles · Dec 27, 2006

If they are two complete sentences, you always place a comma before the conjunction. The only time you don't is when you're joining two phrases.

For example, instead of saying "I'll go to the store, and I'll buy a walrus." you could combine these thoughts and take out the subject, which is the same in both sentences and the ideas are connected (not two separate thoughts). You could tighten this up and write it as "I'll go to the store and buy a walrus." No comma.

Melanie

ps--I can't type today--edited to fix one typo. If you see any others, it's my fingers, not my brain, making the mistake.

Aaron · Dec 27, 2006

Yeah, i'm pretty sure it is grammatically correct to join two sentences together like that. But you need to keep the connecting like "but" or "and", otherwise it wouldn't be right.

Azure Skye · Dec 27, 2006

According to this here grammar book I has in front of me, it is and plus a comma.

This grammar forum is starting to become one of my favorites.

Jamesaritchie · Dec 27, 2006

comma

I'll go to the store and I'll buy a walrus.

Remove the second "I'll" and comma use is clearer.

Provrb1810meggy · Dec 27, 2006

Ok, thanks everybody! I'll have to fix that in my revisions. Yeah, I know that my example sentence was pretty crappy. It just had the sentence structure, the two complete sentences joined by and.

Maryn · Dec 27, 2006

Am I the only one who wants to find the store that's selling the walruses?

Maryn, with eclectic shopping habits

WildScribe · Dec 27, 2006

I'm just excited that I knew the answer.

scarletpeaches · Dec 27, 2006

I AM the walrus!

allion · Dec 27, 2006

Coo coo ca choo!

/hijack off

Karen

Provrb1810meggy · Dec 27, 2006

I could've put dress, chicken, groceries, etc., but walrus was calling to me.

blacbird · Dec 27, 2006

My initial reaction to "two sentences joined by 'and' and/or a comma" is:

First check to see if they'd be better simply as "Two sentences."

caw

Bufty · Dec 28, 2006

And apart from any technically correct reason for placing a comma in a sentence, the meaning can sometimes be changed completely by either inserting or removing a comma.

Sage · Jan 2, 2007

What about commands?

"Go to the store, and buy a walrus." (?)

It could be "Go to the store. Buy a walrus." The "you" is implied, but without it, I have trouble convincing myself that there's a subject & verb there & that there should be a comma.

Maryn · Jan 3, 2007

My instinct (not backed up by any citable source) says that when the two complete independent clauses are very short, as these two imperatives are, nobody will miss the comma that isn't there.

Each of these may be technically wrong but read just fine to me:
Go to the store and buy a walrus.
It's late and I'm tired.
He bowed and she applauded.

Maryn, who's seen the taxidermied walrus at the Museum of Natural History

Julie Worth · Jan 3, 2007

Maryn said:
My instinct (not backed up by any citable source) says that when the two complete independent clauses are very short, as these two imperatives are, nobody will miss the comma that isn't there.

According to Strunk and White: When the subject is the same for both clauses and is expressed only once [and] when the connective is and, the comma should be omitted if the relation between the two statements is close or immediate.

My opinion: If you pause when reading aloud, use a comma; if you don't, leave it out.

ErylRavenwell · Jan 3, 2007

Strictly speaking, you should use a comma. But since the two independent clauses are short, the omission of a comma is acceptable.

ErylRavenwell · Jan 3, 2007

Maryn said:
My instinct (not backed up by any citable source) says that when the two complete independent clauses are very short, as these two imperatives are, nobody will miss the comma that isn't there.

Each of these may be technically wrong but read just fine to me:
Go to the store and buy a walrus.
It's late and I'm tired.
He bowed and she applauded.

Maryn, who's seen the taxidermied walrus at the Museum of Natural History

Oh, I didn't see your post. Flawless as usual, Maryn.

Provrb1810meggy · Jan 4, 2007

Thanks everyone! I had forgotten all about this thread, but the new answers are very informative.

KODB · Jan 5, 2007

Just in case it's not too late to put in my two cents' worth:

The comma splits the sentence into two separate actions: 1) I'll go to the store (for some undisclosed reason); 2) I'll buy a walrus (at the museum, maybe).

Leaving the comma out makes it one act: I'll go to the store for the express purpose of buying a walrus.

Judg · Jan 8, 2007

Anybody who wants to buy a walrus is a friend of mine...

KODB · Jan 8, 2007

They don't have 'em down at the Super Walmart. Not even in sporting goods.

Two sentences joined by and...comma?

Provrb1810meggy

Melanie Nilles

What're you looking at?

Aaron

Azure Skye

Huh?

Jamesaritchie

Provrb1810meggy

Maryn

I Tried

WildScribe

Slave to the Wordcount

scarletpeaches

allion

Character assassin

Provrb1810meggy

blacbird

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

Sage

Our Lady of Parentheticals

Maryn

I Tried

Julie Worth

What? I have a title?

ErylRavenwell

ErylRavenwell

Provrb1810meggy

KODB

Judg

DISENCHANTED coming soon

KODB