Comma Before or After But | Correct Use & Examples
Put a comma before but when it’s used to connect two independent clauses (i.e., two clauses that each contain a subject and a verb).
Put a comma after but only when it is followed by an interrupter (i.e., a parenthetical expression that qualifies the statement or indicates mood or tone).
These rules also apply to using commas with the coordinating conjunctions “and” and “or.”
When to use a comma before but
When “but” is used to connect two independent clauses, it is always preceded by a comma.
An independent clause is a clause that has a subject and a verb and can function as a complete sentence.
Kevin is talented, but he is unmotivated.
The job is demanding, but it’s fulfilling.
When the subject of the second clause is a pronoun that refers to the same subject as the first clause, you can omit the pronoun. Doing this eliminates the need for a comma and simplifies your sentence.
Kevin is talented but he is unmotivated.
The job is demanding but it’s fulfilling.
When to use a comma after but
A comma should only appear after “but” when it is followed by an interrupter (i.e., a parenthetical expression that adds additional but nonessential information). In these instances, a comma should also appear at the end of the interrupter.
The apartment is small but, in my opinion, cozy.
But, of course, we’ll try our best.
When you don’t need a comma before but
No comma is needed before “but” if it’s connecting an independent clause and a sentence fragment (i.e., a clause that does not contain both a verb and a subject or one that cannot function as a standalone sentence).
For example, the clause “If you want” has both a subject (“you”) and a verb (“want”), but it does not express a complete thought.
- I eat fish, but not meat.
- I eat fish but not meat.
- The principal is tough, but fair.
- The principal is tough but fair.
Exercises: Comma before or after “but”
Frequently asked questions about commas before or after but
- Does “not only but also” require a comma?
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Like all correlative conjunctions, “not only … but also” does not typically require a comma (e.g., “The weather forecast calls for not only rain but also hail”).
The one exception to this is when it is used to join two independent clauses, which each have a subject and a verb (e.g., “Ava not only speaks Spanish, but she also is learning French”). This sentence could also be rephrased to not require a comma (e.g., “Ava not only speaks Spanish but also is learning French”).
A QuillBot grammar check can help ensure you’re using correlative conjunctions correctly.
- Do you use a comma or semicolon before however?
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Both are possible when however is used as a conjunctive adverb to mean “but.”
We put a semicolon before however when it is showing contrast between two independent clauses (e.g., “We have not reached our goal; however, we are only at the beginning of our journey”).
We put a comma before however when it is used at the beginning or at the end of a sentence or clause (e.g. “We are, however, only at the beginning,” “We are only at the beginning, however”).
