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soraya.n
Oct 11, 2012, 01:58 AM
Hello
According to what my English teacher has taught, as and since are conjunctions of reason and we only use a comma if they're used at the beginning of a sentence.for example: Since you are unable to answer, perhaps we should ask Jane./ As he was too tired, he didn't feel like going to the gym.

Then,
Why is there a comma in this sentence?!
We asked Philip to come with us,as he knew the road.


What is the grammatical note of the sentence above?
Please help a.s.a.p
Thanks

Kahani Punjab
Oct 11, 2012, 03:22 AM
Soraya N,

I think you are a non-native speaker of English language.

Remember, in such a 'complex' sentence, writing of the subordinate clause does not make any difference, whether we write it in the beginning or in the end.

'As he was too tired, he didn't feel like going to the gym" is in no way different from "He didn't feel like going to the gym, as he was too tired."

Moreover, there is no compulsion to insert comma.

soraya.n
Oct 11, 2012, 03:25 AM
Soraya N,

Are u from India?
No,I'm not :D
Would you mind answering my question please?. thanks


Soraya N,

I think you are a non-native speaker of English language.

Remember, in such a 'complex' sentence, writing of the subordinate clause does not make any difference, whether we write it in the beginning or in the end.

'As he was too tired, he didn't feel like going to the gym" is in no way different from "He didn't feel like going to the gym, as he was too tired."

Moreover, there is no compulsion to insert comma.

Thank you very much indeed.
I kind of needed that for school.I actually thought the same but my teacher didn't accept my answer... now I have a solid answer to give!. lol

joypulv
Oct 11, 2012, 03:29 AM
I don't see why there has to be a comma in that sentence. I see it as being there for the pause effect. But I am not a grammarian and if this is a homework question requiring a specific answer/reason, I don't know.

J_9
Oct 11, 2012, 03:41 AM
hello
According to what my English teacher has taught, as and since are conjunctions of reason and we only use a comma if they're used at the beginning of a sentence.for example: Since you are unable to answer, perhaps we should ask Jane./ As he was too tired, he didn't feel like going to the gym.

Then,
Why is there a comma in this sentence?!
We asked Philip to come with us,as he knew the road.


What is the grammatical note of the sentence above?
Please help a.s.a.p
Thanks

Wondergirl may be able to answer this better, but in her absence I will try.

In this sentence...

why is there a comma in this sentence?!
We asked Philip to come with us,as he knew the road.
You can use "We asked Philip to come with us" as an independent sentence. The comma is there simply to add information to the sentence.

You can actually separate that sentence into two sentences. "We asked Philip to come with us." AND "Philip knew the road." So, rather than using two sentences, we use a comma to shorten them into one sentence. "We asked Philip to come with us, as he knew the road."

Personally I don't agree with the comma structure here. It can be a complete sentence without the comma.