Richard-Business Eng
Professional Teacher
Another English Language Myth...
THE MYTH – Always place a comma before the word <em>because</em> 

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The following explanation describes a mistake that is often made by English learners,
as well as a few native English speakers.

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English learners often believe that a comma is needed before the conjunction because.
That’s a myth.
A myth is a widely held but false belief or idea.

<em>Because </em>is one of several words and phrases used to introduce a “clause of purpose.” 

<em>Because </em>puts more emphasis on the reason, and most often introduces new information which is not known to the reader or listener.

A clause beginning with <em>because </em>answers the question “Why?” and that clause is automatically subordinate to (dependent on) an independent clause.

A subordinate clause—also called a dependent clause—will often begin with a subordinate conjunction and will contain both a subject and a verb. 
A subordinate/dependent clause will not form a complete sentence.
 It will instead make a reader want additional information to finish the thought.


The General Rule – When to use a comma before “Because”

There should generally be no comma between an independent clause and the subordinate clause when the independent clause comes first.

However, if the subordinate/dependent clause is placed before the independent clause, i.e., if the <em>because </em>clause comes at the beginning of the sentence, the <em>because </em>clause should be followed by a comma.

INCORRECT: Michael went to the forest, because he loves walking among the trees.
CORRECT: Michael went to the forest because he loves walking among the trees.
CORRECT: Because he loves walking among the trees, Michael went to the forest.


INCORRECT: Mom went on a shopping spree, because I told her I was having a baby boy.
CORRECT: Mom went on a shopping spree because I told her I was having a baby boy.
CORRECT: Because I told her I was having a baby boy, Mom went on a shopping spree.


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Jun 22, 2020 12:32 PM
Comments · 12
7
Isn't there a difference between whether or not to put a comma before "because", though?

1. Why did Mom go on a shopping spree? Mom went on a shopping spree because I told her I was having a baby boy.

2. Where did Mom go? Mom went on a shopping spree, because I told her I was having a baby boy.

The comma functions as a parenthetical to give extra information. Omitting it in the second example seems wrong to me.
June 22, 2020
3
Thanks to everyone who responded:

Abdalá
Fatemeh
NADA (yes - similar to the if clause rules)
Kalina
John
Mantaty
June 23, 2020
3
Abdalá...

Very often, the information I post does not include all possibilities/exceptions.
I try post post the information that applies to 80 or 90% of the possible uses/rules.

Yes, you are right. There are a few exceptions where the use of a comma before the word <em>because</em> is helpful or perhaps even necessary for the sake of clarity.
Here's one exception:

Exception – using a comma for clarity

If a sentence will be ambiguous/confusing without a comma before because, it is better to insert one and avoid misleading your reader. The most problematic sentences containing because are often those that begin with a negative statement. 

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The source of this posting (including more exception examples)



June 22, 2020
2
Abdalá...

I didn't really clarify anything, except to confirm the exception to the main rule, which is the exception that you correctly pointed out.
June 22, 2020
2
Thank you for clarifying, Richard.
June 22, 2020
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