when to use a comma with of course

Examples Of How To Use A Comma Before “Of Course” At End Of Sentence

1. He needs you, of course.
2. I’ll be ready to help you when the time comes, of course.
3. I’m happy to be there for you, of course.
4. You shouldn’t have seen that, of course.
5. I’ll stop you, of course.
6. She’ll be ready when she’s ready, of course.
7. I can’t stop you, of course.

Full Answer

Do you use a comma with of course?

Though a comma can usually follow an introductory adverbial phrase like “of course,” such a comma is also usually optional (see CMOS 6.31). Of course, setting off a phrase like “of course” will emphasize the phrase itself. But to shift the emphasis to include the words that follow, you should omit the comma.

Does of course need two commas?

As a simple adverb When “of course” is a simple adverb of agreement or emphasis—meaning “certainly,” “naturally,” “definitely,” and the like—it usually doesn't require commas. Of course you can go to the party!

How is of course written?

The misspelling of the two-word phrase “of course” as “ofcourse” should be caught by any good spelling-checker, but it seems to be extremely common.

Where does the comma go in this sentence?

Use commas after introductory a) clauses, b) phrases, or c) words that come before the main clause. Example: In the beginning, there was light. Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off clauses, phrases, and words that are not essential to the meaning of the sentence.

Do you need commas before and after of course?

We use of course to refer to things that are obvious or already known to the speaker and listener, or to everybody: A tropical climate is, of course, very humid, so we sweated all the time. (We use commas here, before and after of course, to show that it refers to the whole of the first clause.)

Can you end a sentence with of course?

Virtually none. Both the beginning and the end of a sentence are prominent positions to emphasize something. English allows for many variations of word order with the same semantics. The only effect of one choice over another in many cases is a change in emphasis, in where the reader's attention is directed.

Is of course a conjunction?

Among the coordinating conjunctions, the most common, of course, are and, but, and or. It might be helpful to explore the uses of these three little words.

Do you always put a comma before and?

​​Whether or not you put a comma before and depends on how you're using and. There's no single rule that applies to all situations. You usually put a comma before and when it's connecting two independent clauses. It's almost always optional to put a comma before and in a list.

What Is The Correct Punctuation For “And Of Course”?

Correct punctuation for “and of course” is with a comma on either side of the phrase. If we start a sentence with it, we use a comma after “course.” If we put it in the middle of the sentence, commas come before and after the full phrase “and of course.”

What does "of course" mean in a sentence?

If you use “of course” as a parenthetical element, that means you include it as additional information for the sentence. However, if necessary, the sentence will still make sense without “of course.”

Is It Ever Correct To Use “Of Course” Without A Comma?

It’s never correct to use “of course” without a comma unless that’s the only phrase in a sentence. For example, if someone replied saying “of course,” then we would write it with no commas.

Can You Start A Sentence With “And Of Course”?

It’s possible to start a sentence with “and of course,” which we made apparent in the examples above. If you’re going to do this, it usually has to directly link back to the previous statement; otherwise, the “and” won’t work.

Do you put a comma before or after a phrase?

If you’re writing it in the middle of a sentence, it becomes a parenthetical element, and we need a comma before and after the phrase.

Do you put a period before or after "of course"?

Now let’s see how “of course” works at the end of a sentence. We use the comma before it this time, but there will be a period after it to make sure we’re following the grammar rules.

Do you have to understand where I'm coming from before you move on?

Of course, you have to understand where I’m coming from before you move on.

Do you put a comma in a skepticism?

If you don't want to imply prior skepticism, you should probably be using a comma.

Is "of course" a comma?

Using ' of course ' without commas can imply a refutation of prior skepticism. In these cases, the speaker emphasizes ' course .'

Do you put a comma in "of course"?

When you use the phrase 'of course' you have to use a comma. It doesn't matter whether it is in the middle or at the beginning of a sentence. I'm completely sure that the first two sentences are right, but the last one seems wrong to me. Using ' of course ' without commas can imply a refutation of prior skepticism.

Now that we've cleared that up ..

Those of you who subscribe to the “stick a comma wherever you hear a pause” school of punctuation may think the blog post should end here; after all, if you go back and read the two previous sentences aloud, the lack of pause after the first “of course” and the obvious pause after the second make the correct punctuation clear.

Let's get down to the nitty gritty

It belongs to a group of adverbs that can also act as conjunctions. Because of this split personality, these particular adverbs often lead to punctuation perplexity.

Which brings us back to "of course."

When “of course” is a simple adverb of agreement or emphasis—meaning “certainly,” “naturally,” “definitely,” and the like—it usually doesn’t require commas.

So listen up

When I began the grammar course for my copyediting certificate, I was confident in my punctuation ability. I knew the basic rules and could usually tell by the quality and length of a pause whether a comma was needed. But I quickly realized that, while my ear was good, it could only get me so far.

When to use a comma before a word?

Use a comma before the word but if it is joining two independent clauses:

What Is a Comma?

While a period ends a sentence, a comma indicates a smaller break. Some writers think of a comma as a soft pause—a punctuation mark that separates words, clauses, or ideas within a sentence.

When to use a comma in a list?

When you have a list that contains more than two elements, use commas to separate them. Julie loves ice cream books and kittens. Julie loves ice cream, books, and kittens. Julie loves ice cream, books and kittens. (The comma before the and in a list of three or more items is optional.

When do you need a conjunction?

When you want to join two independent clauses , you need a conjunction or a semicolon. A comma alone isn’t strong enough to join them. This kind of mistake is called a comma splice.

Is a comma a subject or verb?

With few exceptions, a comma should not separate a subject from its verb.

When writing a date in month-day-year format, do you put a comma?

When writing a date in month-day-year format, set off the year with commas.

When addressing another person by name, do you put a comma?

When addressing another person by name, set off the name with commas.

When to use a comma in a sentence?

3. Use a pair of commas in the middle of a sentence to set off clauses, phrases, and words that are not essential to the meaning of the sentence. Use one comma before to indicate the beginning of the pause and one at the end to indicate the end of the pause.

Which introductory phrases should be followed by a comma?

Common introductory phrases that should be followed by a comma include participial and infinitive phrases, absolute phrases, nonessential appositive phrases, and long prepositional phrases (over four words). Having finished the test, he left the room. To get a seat, you'd better come early.

What does a comma do in the Constitution?

The Constitution establishes the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. The candidate promised to lower taxes, protect the environment, reduce crime, and end unemployment.

What are the starter words for introductory clauses that should be followed by a comma?

a. Common starter words for introductory clauses that should be followed by a comma include after, although, as, because, if, since, when, while.

What is the comma used for in a name?

9. Use commas to set off all geographical names, items in dates (except the month and day), addresses (except the street number and name), and titles in names. Birmingham, Alabama, gets its name from Birmingham, England. July 22, 1959, was a momentous day in his life.

When to use commas in conjunctions?

1. Use commas to separate independent clauses when they are joined by any of these seven coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet. The game was over, but the crowd refused to leave. The student explained her question, yet the instructor still didn't seem to understand.

Do you put a comma between two verbs?

13. Don't put a comma between the two verbs or verb phrases in a compound predicate.