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I've been looking at multiple punctuation guides and am still a little confused about comma usage after the words then, and, or but when used at the beginning of a sentence. From my understanding, a comma would be sometimes used and sometimes not. I just can't differentiate between the two circumstances.

For example: Jade blushed and flipped back her hair. Then she made her way over to where Savi stood in front of the girls’ cabin assignments.

Should there be a comma after the word then? Why or why not?

After I posted this I realized that I probably should have posted it in the International Grammar forum. Sorry.

Tiny_Turtle wrote: ↑29 Nov 2018, 19:40 I've been looking at multiple punctuation guides and am still a little confused about comma usage after the words then, and, or but when used at the beginning of a sentence. From my understanding, a comma would be sometimes used and sometimes not. I just can't differentiate between the two circumstances.

For example: Jade blushed and flipped back her hair. Then she made her way over to where Savi stood in front of the girls’ cabin assignments.

Should there be a comma after the word then? Why or why not?

Two issues: 1. Commas after introductory words, and 2. Commas with coordinating conjunctions.
Generally, you would not use a comma when using a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to begin a sentence. "But I decided not to go." For most other introductory words, including "then," you would use a comma if used at the beginning of a sentence. "Then, we left the house." "Finally, it started to rain." So learning the coordinating conjunctions is good (FANBOYS is a helpful mnemonic.).

In the first sentence of your example, it is correct as written. You would not use a comma. Commas are used before coordinating conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) when they connect two independent clauses (complete sentences). If the phrases were both independent clauses, you would use a comma before and: "Jade blushed, and she flipped back her hair." In your example "flipped back her hair" is not an independent clause. So no comma.

@Eva Barrington

Thank you so much for your clarifying comment. Your explanation of the use of commas with introductory words was simple and easy to understand.

Generally, you would not use a comma when using a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to begin a sentence. "But I decided not to go." For most other introductory words, including "then," you would use a comma if used at the beginning of a sentence.

I have not seen an explanation that was so simple and to the point. Do you have any guideline sources that can referenced if my non-use of a comma with FANBOYS at the beginning of a sentence were to be questioned?

Tiny_Turtle wrote: ↑30 Nov 2018, 06:52 @Eva Barrington

Thank you so much for your clarifying comment. Your explanation of the use of commas with introductory words was simple and easy to understand.

Generally, you would not use a comma when using a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to begin a sentence. "But I decided not to go." For most other introductory words, including "then," you would use a comma if used at the beginning of a sentence.

I have not seen an explanation that was so simple and to the point. Do you have any guideline sources that can referenced if my non-use of a comma with FANBOYS at the beginning of a sentence were to be questioned?

This is a good piece about coordinating conjunctions, in general. At the very end is the section that explains about using them at the beginning of a sentence. http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/coordin ... nction.htm

Eva Darrington wrote: ↑30 Nov 2018, 10:40

Tiny_Turtle wrote: ↑30 Nov 2018, 06:52 @Eva Barrington

Thank you so much for your clarifying comment. Your explanation of the use of commas with introductory words was simple and easy to understand.

Generally, you would not use a comma when using a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) to begin a sentence. "But I decided not to go." For most other introductory words, including "then," you would use a comma if used at the beginning of a sentence.

I have not seen an explanation that was so simple and to the point. Do you have any guideline sources that can referenced if my non-use of a comma with FANBOYS at the beginning of a sentence were to be questioned?

This is a good piece about coordinating conjunctions, in general. At the very end is the section that explains about using them at the beginning of a sentence. http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/coordin ... nction.htm

Thank you

Tiny_Turtle wrote: ↑30 Nov 2018, 11:14

Eva Darrington wrote: ↑30 Nov 2018, 10:40

Tiny_Turtle wrote: ↑30 Nov 2018, 06:52 @Eva Barrington

Thank you so much for your clarifying comment. Your explanation of the use of commas with introductory words was simple and easy to understand.



I have not seen an explanation that was so simple and to the point. Do you have any guideline sources that can referenced if my non-use of a comma with FANBOYS at the beginning of a sentence were to be questioned?

This is a good piece about coordinating conjunctions, in general. At the very end is the section that explains about using them at the beginning of a sentence. http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/coordin ... nction.htm

Thank you

Then is a troublesome word for me. However, if we look at use according to COCA (Corpus of Contemporary American English, https://corpus.byu.edu/coca/, then is rarely followed by a comma when it begins a sentence. The statistics show Then, [then with comma] was found 18147 times versus Then [then without a comma] was found 768699 times.

jgraney8 wrote: ↑30 Nov 2018, 13:50

Tiny_Turtle wrote: ↑30 Nov 2018, 11:14

Eva Darrington wrote: ↑30 Nov 2018, 10:40
This is a good piece about coordinating conjunctions, in general. At the very end is the section that explains about using them at the beginning of a sentence. http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/coordin ... nction.htm

Thank you

Then is a troublesome word for me. However, if we look at use according to COCA (Corpus of Contemporary American English, https://corpus.byu.edu/coca/, then is rarely followed by a comma when it begins a sentence. The statistics show Then, [then with comma] was found 18147 times versus Then [then without a comma] was found 768699 times.

I will defer to jgraney8 on this. Clearly there is some gray area with this particular issue. To me, it is now clear as mud. Sorry Tiny Turtle. I will say that I think using the link jgraney8 provided would get you out of any editing discrepancy with "then."