Comma Rules!!

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>The comma rules are driving me crazy! I don't understand what is modifying and what is connecting! Help me figure out this one: </p>

<p>"At the same time, the psychological burden of living with another's family is excruciatingly difficult, because, regardless of everything, these women are living in someone else's home: the wives have to keep silent at night, for example, or they may hesiate to go out with their friends or have visitors, or it is simply impossible to know if one can engage in such a simple task as use the kitchen."</p>

<p>This is what I think about the comma usages above, please correct me if I'm wrong:</p>

<p>●"At the same time(,)" - comma is used to indicate the prepositional phrase that modifies the whole clause, "the psychological burden of living with another's family is excruciatingly difficult" and act as a adverb.</p>

<p>●"(,) because(,) regardless of everything(,)" - I have no freakin clue how this is used... Is the comma used to connect or modifiying? what's its fuction?</p>

<p>●"(,) for example(,) or " - Is the comma used to offset the "for example", the interrupter? or is it used as connector? (comma + coordinating conjuction) [,or]</p>

<p>●"(,) or" - I know this comma is used to connect two complete sentences "they may hesiate to go out with their friends or have visitors" and "it is simply impossible to know if one can engage in such a simple task as use the kitchen" with the comma + coordinating conjuction rule</p>

2

<p>Bump…</p>

3

<p>You are studying comma rules that aren’t gonna be tested, my friend. Don’t waste time figuring it out - there’s too much controversy with the types of commas you’re freaking out about, which is precisely why the SAT can’t test them. There is no commonly agreed to standard.</p>

<p>Trust me, I researched the crap outta commas as a tutor when I was writing the comma rules section of my book for the SAT.</p>

<p>Here are comma rules that ARE tested:</p>

<p>Independent clause + comma + FANBOYS coordinating conjunction + independent clause = correct</p>

<p>Independent clause + comma alone + independent = wrong (comma splice)</p>

<p>Independent + comma + FANBOYS conjunction + dependent = wrong</p>

<p>Independent + semicolon + independent = right</p>

<p>Independent + semicolon + conjunctive adverb (however, consequently, etc.) + comma + independent = right</p>

<p>Independent + semicolon + independent = right</p>

<p>Independent + period + independent = right</p>

<p>Independent + semicolon + dependent = wrong</p>

<p>Now for your question…
“At the same time,”…some ppl say yes, some say no comma…so no real answer
“, because”…delete comma before because…“because” is not a FANBOYS coordinating conjunction, so “because” doesn’t follow the same rules
“, regardless of everything,” is fine because the two commas set off a non-integral part of the sentence. That phrase is like an appositive. If you remove it, the sentence reads fine still.
“, for example,” is fine…same reason as “, regardless of everything,”
“, or” is fine because that comma is actually going with “, for example,” NOT with the “or”</p>