When do you use a comma before because

Correct comma usage can cause headaches for many writers—even more so when the word “because” is involved. You may have heard the advice that a comma should never come before “because.”

Until recently, any sentence on the SAT test with a comma preceding “because” would automatically be marked as wrong. However, it isn’t fair to apply such strict black-and-white rules. The Chicago Manual of Style disagrees with the SAT system and states that sometimes the comma is needed.

Whether you should use a comma depends on context. Remember, the purpose of grammar is to provide clarity of meaning, so you need to think about how a comma would affect your sentence’s structure and meaning. In this article, we’ll have a look at when you should or shouldn't insert a comma before the word "because".

When "because" is in the middle of a sentence

The word “because” most often appears in the middle of a sentence and is used to introduce a type of dependent clause known as a “clause of purpose.”

In other words, what comes before it is an independent clause—one that could work as a stand-alone sentence—and what comes after it adds explanation.

Consider these example sentences:‍

Sarah bought a new car because her old one kept breaking down.

John went for a walk because it was a nice day.

In these cases, though adding in a comma would not particularly obscure the meaning, it wouldn’t add anything either, and so the comma is not needed.

Unlike with “as,” which is often used to add less important explanations, “because” is generally used when the explanation, though a dependent clause, is an important part of the information the writer wants to get across. This is why this clause is rarely separated by a comma.

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Where the clause of purpose is the main point you want to explain, such as when the purpose of the sentence is to insist that an action was taken for one reason and not for another, it is especially important not to include a comma, in order to place clear emphasis on the clause of purpose.

For example:

John went for a walk because it was a nice day, not because he wanted to get away from his family.

When "because" is at the start of a sentence

An alternative approach is to put the dependent clause at the start of the sentence, followed by the independent clause. In these cases, the sentence starts with “because” and a comma is needed to separate the two clauses.

Let’s rearrange the above examples into this shape:‍

Because her old car kept breaking down, Sarah bought a new one.

Because it was a nice day, not because he wanted to get away from his family, John went for a walk.

Because of the steaks, I didn’t go to Dan’s restaurant.

These sentences would be very difficult to make sense of without the comma, as two clauses would be joined together without any punctuation or conjunction to separate them.

Putting the subordinate clause first also has the effect of placing more emphasis on that purpose—there is no ambiguity as to why I did not go to Dan’s restaurant.

When to make exceptions

There are some situations where adding a comma before “because” will improve the clarity of the sentence and prevent misunderstanding. This most often occurs when the sentence starts with a negative clause. Look at this example:‍

I didn’t go to Dan’s restaurant because of the steaks.

One interpretation of this is that I did go to Dan’s restaurant, but the steaks weren’t the most important factor. They’re fine, but it’s something else that drew me there. With this meaning, the sentence could be continued like this:

I didn’t go to Dan’s restaurant because of the steaks, but because of the great selection of wines.

However, what I actually meant in the original sentence was that I did not go to Dan’s restaurant, and the reason I didn’t go was that the steaks are terrible. A comma would help clarify this: ‍

I didn’t go to Dan’s restaurant, because of the steaks.‍

The comma helps put emphasis on the first clause, clarifying that “I didn’t go to Dan’s restaurant” is the main point and “because of the steaks” is the explanation.

Summary

While there is a good reasoning behind the SAT punishing examinees for putting commas before “because,” these exceptions prove that, like many complicated grammatical issues, this advice should be treated as a guideline rather than a strict rule.

In most cases, it is correct not to use a comma before “because.” However, if adding the comma would avoid potential misinterpretations of the sentence, most notably when the sentence starts with a negative statement, then add the comma. And when the sentence starts with “because,” you’re going to need a comma to separate the clauses.

When do you put a comma before because? The comma is the minor celebrity of the grammar world. Popping up everywhere, it tries to make an impression, tries to convince people it is indispensable. If a comma were a person, it would want you to believe you needed it in your writing. In all sorts of places.

Then, you would finish a project—one packed to the ceiling with attractive commas— and you would take a long, hard look at the finished product. A lot like proofreading, actually. That is when it becomes noticeable that there are far more commas floating around than are truly necessary.

One of the places it is easy to let a comma squeeze in where it shouldn’t be—is before Because. It often feels as if a slight pause ought to be there, especially when writing in a conversational style. However, most of the time there is no need for a comma before Because.

Why is that?

Table of Contents

• When to Use A Comma Before Because
  • Does “Because” Need a Comma?
  • Comma Can Be Used for Clarity
• Comma Before Because | Picture

When to Use A Comma Before Because

Does “Because” Need a Comma?

Because kicks the comma out, then connects with an independent clause.

Commas have a strictly defined purpose in writing. Well, as strict as English can get.

The language is constantly evolving. It will shoot forward, becoming futuristic and edgy one moment, then suddenly decide that the past is very evocative. In the next moment, nostalgic phrases from 100 years earlier will begin to reshape—or shape again—how we write and speak.

But some rules remain consistent. One of those rules is that the comma isn’t the star of any show. Another is that it is usually unnecessary to put a comma before Because. The reason is that Because begins a clause of purpose. A comma certainly isn’t the most important aspect of writing. Too often, commas are tossed in because it feels right.

Yes, we do bend the rules of grammar a bit, for different types of writing. For instance, a formal essay would never begin a sentence with the word “And”. But a conversational-style piece of writing would. And it does, frequently. But the rules are still there, and they say that a clause which begins with Because is going to ask a question. It will ask ‘Why”. So the Because clause will be subordinate to the independent clause to which it is joined. Automatically, the Because clause will need to lean on the independent clause. So a comma isn’t necessary.

For example:

• Correct: John got a glass of water because he was thirsty.
• Incorrect: John got a glass of water, because he was thirsty.

• Correct: The football team won because they executed defense.
• Incorrect: The football team won, because they executed defense.

Comma Can Be Used for Clarity

There will be times when the communication is unclear, and only a comma can make it easier to understand.

This leaves more that needs to be done. And if the scene is negative, a comma is likely to be required.

Incorrect: The basketball team did not win because their center was injured.

In this sentence, the comma is finally going to get a solid role. This sentence is totally ambiguous. Did the basketball team win? Is the situation that the team didn’t win because of something their center did? with the center injured, he was unable to contribute, correct?

Or did the team lose? And did they lose because their center was unable to play?

This is enough to make a basketball fan tear up their season tickets. Which would leave them angrier than ever! So the comma has to get in here and rescue this one.

Correct: The basketball team did not win, because their center was injured.

With the comma before Because, the ambiguity is completely gone. The sentence becomes clear. At this point, it doesn’t matter whether comma and Because usually work together or not. The structure of the sentence dictates whether a comma should be there. The clarity for the reader is what is most important when writing anything. If the reader can’t understand, it is like a person standing next to you and speaking gibberish. After they finish, they ask, “Do you understand?” If you didn’t understand, it was no use having them talk.

In the same manner, the written word must be comprehensible in order to make it worth putting words on a page.