Comma Before “Then”: Rules & Examples

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Do You Need a Comma Before “Then”?

You need a comma before then in sentences that have conditional clauses (aka, ‘if/then’ statements). A comma is also needed when ‘then’ separates two independent clauses. If you’re omitting ‘and’ or ‘but’ before ‘then,’ include a comma for clarity, even without two independent clauses.

 

Dividing Two Conditional Clauses

Conditional clauses describe cause and effect relationships. The comma helps to make it clear that the “then” is another way of saying “as a result of” an “if” statement.

For example, if you are trying to explain the consequences of an action, you might write, “If you refuse to take out the trash, then you will get in trouble with your parents.”

This also applies when the conditional clause is theoretical in nature.

An example of this is “If you refuse to take out the trash, then you might get in trouble with your parents.”

So, whether the effect is definite or simply a possibility, you should put a comma before the “then” in if/then sentences.

 

“Then” That Functions Like a Coordinating Conjunction

When “then” functions similarly to a coordinating conjunction, there should be a comma before it.

Coordinating conjunctions join equal phrases, ideas, or parts of speech.

For example, you should put a comma in the following sentence.

“I graduated college, then I went to graduate school.” The comma is necessary because both clauses (which are independent clauses) have equal grammatical weight.

It is true that “then” is technically not a coordinating conjunction, in the above example or anywhere else.

In the example, it is actually an adverbial. However, its use is very similar to an “and” “but,” or “or.”

If it were in the same position as the “then” in our example, an “and,” “but,” or “or” would be a coordinating conjunction.

Because of the grammatical similarity, the use of the comma before this form of “then” is now used more often than not.

 

Is a Comma Necessary Before “And Then?”

What should you do with a “then” that divides an independent and a subordinate clause?

Take a sentence like “He sped down the road and then was pulled over.” In that example, you do not need the comma.

However, you should use the comma if you are not using the “and,” such as when you write, “He sped down the road, then got pulled over.”

In this instance, the “then” still expresses cause and effect, even without the “if” of a conditional, causal clause.

Also, you would need a comma if you were making both clauses independent. An example of this would be if you wrote, “He sped down the road, then he got pulled over.”

 

What About a Comma Before a “Then” at the End of a Sentence?

This rule tends to trip up a lot of writers. However, it is easy to determine whether a comma is needed if you ask yourself whether the “then” a matter of time or consequence.

Let’s pretend you wrote, “Is Bob going to the party? I’m not going, then.”

The comma before “then” is necessary. This is because another way of saying these two sentences would be, “If Bob is going to the party, then I am not going.” In that case, the “then” is clearly the result of an “if.”

However, if you are designating a time, a comma before your “then” would make things awfully unclear.

Take the following sentence. “You want to meet at five o’clock? Yes, let’s meet then.” Here, you are telling the reader that you want to meet at five o’clock.

However, let’s say you wrote, “You want to meet at five o’clock? Let’s meet, then.”

With the comma placed as it is, the reader may be confused about whether you are agreeing on a time or merely agreeing to meet.

When navigating the often confusing rules of commas in the English language, it is important to remember that they exist primarily to make things clearer.

The rules and examples above should help sentences with “then” remain as clear as possible.