Commas after fronted adverbials and clauses · Grade 3
When a sentence starts with extra information before the main clause, we put a comma after it. This can be a fronted adverbial, which tells us when, where or how (After lunch, we left.), or a subordinate clause (Although it rained, we played outside.). The comma shows the reader where the main clause starts and stops confusion.
Key facts
- Fronted adverbial + comma: Early in the morning, the birds began to sing. Slowly, the door creaked open.
- Subordinate clause first + comma: When the bell rang, the children lined up. If you finish early, you can read.
- Subordinate clauses start with words like although, when, if, because, while, until, unless, as soon as.
- When the main clause comes first, you usually don't need a comma: We played outside although it rained.
- A comma can change the meaning: While we were eating, the cat jumped on the table. Without it, a reader might think we were eating the cat!