comma before 'and' [conjunction]: like apples and I like bananas, but

[Scar504]

<< Topic question: Do coordinating conjunctions necessitate commas?>>

I'm under the impression that it's a matter of style.

"I like apples and I like bananas, but I detest those filthy tomatos."


Adding a comma before "and" in the above sentence would slightly change the flow of the sentence, which may not be to the authors liking. However, i've heard grammar enthusiasts claim that a comma must always preceed a coordinating conjunction. What do you think?

 

[lucas-sp]

There are no grammatical rules about commas. There are only style rules.

I find your example sentence perfectly punctuated. (It does need a few capital letters and some spell-checking, of course.)

This sentence:

I like apples, and I like bananas, but I detest those filthy tomatoes

is also possible, but, as you say, it has an extra pause in it.

 

[MNstudent]

I don't think it is a matter of style. At least not how we learned it. Then again, grammar rules that we learned are set in stone may actually be quite fluid. We learned that if you are connecting two independent clauses, you must put a comma before the coordinating conjunction. Since you have three independent clauses here, which all have subject, verb, and complement, you need the commas.

I like apples, and I like bananas, but I detest tomatoes.

You should say:

I like apples and bananas, but I detest tomatoes.

You could also eliminate the last subject to create:

I like apples and bananas but detest tomatoes.

 

[lucas-sp]

Since you have three independent clauses here, which all have subject, verb, and complement, you need the commas. This, however, makes it a run-on sentence.

That's not a run-on sentence at all. A run-on sentence consists of two independent clauses joined only by a comma (comma splice) or joined by nothing at all. A sentence like the original one is not a run-on sentence - although it may be breathless​ in its tone.

 

[Scar504]

"It does need a few capital letters and some spell-checking, of course."


Indeed it does; I'm not terribly scrupulous when it comes to these things (if this website has a spell check function, please direct me to it).

Thank you for your response.