{"id":11845,"date":"2021-03-30T16:27:26","date_gmt":"2021-03-30T16:27:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/?p=11845"},"modified":"2023-03-23T21:28:16","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T21:28:16","slug":"comma-after-therefore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-after-therefore\/","title":{"rendered":"Comma after &#8220;therefore&#8221;: The Definitive Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>img#mv-trellis-img-1::before{padding-top:56.25%; }img#mv-trellis-img-1{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-2::before{padding-top:150%; }img#mv-trellis-img-2{display:block;}<\/style><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to know whether we&rsquo;ve written an effective text, we can check its logical coherence, readability, and rhythm.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, how can we achieve this?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Taking a closer look at some of the subtlest grammatical elements such as punctuation marks and transition words will make a difference.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, we&rsquo;ve customized a post covering these grammatical aspects. Hope this helps!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Do we need a comma after &ldquo;therefore?&rdquo;<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><strong>A comma after &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; is placed when we are using it as an introductory element, a parenthetical remark, or when it appears after a semicolon. The after-comma, however, becomes optional when it causes a weak interruption or when we want to neutralize the tone of the text. Whereas, a comma after &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; makes the sentence ungrammatical when it functions either as a subject or object in the sentence.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>The nuances behind &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; and why they matter<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In our day-to-day interactions, we get confronted by mundane, haphazard informational inputs that are sometimes too complex to be fully understood.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of these include linguistic nuances that, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-or-after-although\/\"><b>although<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> we often encounter, we still can&rsquo;t figure out how and why they even exist in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-please\/\"><b>Please<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> don&rsquo;t mind the poetic-ish explanation, as I am only pertaining to function words and punctuation marks.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-after-first\/\"><b>First<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of all, I totally get that these two grammatical facets aren&rsquo;t the most exciting concepts to tick out on our bucket list.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, allow me to try to convince you as to why knowing a thing or two about commas and transition words matters more than <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/which-vs-what\/\"><b>what<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> most people think.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"grow-exclusive-content-widget-aa70192d-d134-4c49-86a3-d6f2effb13c9 grow-allow-content-ads\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1FcGWj9ZmJCqbVuKMOa6A7yA_r8YRdtsq\/view?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-16942 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive.jpeg\" alt=\"Comma Rules Cheat Sheet\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive.jpeg 854w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-480x270.jpeg 480w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-720x405.jpeg 720w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-320x180.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-735x413.jpeg 735w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-335x188.jpeg 335w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-347x195.jpeg 347w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-520x293.jpeg 520w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-640x360.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-960x540.jpeg 960w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-1080x608.jpeg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive.jpeg\"><\/noscript><img loading=\"eager\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-16942 size-full eager-load\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201280%20720'%3E%3Crect%20width='1280'%20height='720'%20style='fill:%23e3e3e3'\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" alt=\"Comma Rules Cheat Sheet\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive.jpeg\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-1\" data-src=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive.jpeg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive.jpeg 854w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-300x169.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-480x270.jpeg 480w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-720x405.jpeg 720w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-320x180.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-735x413.jpeg 735w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-335x188.jpeg 335w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-347x195.jpeg 347w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-520x293.jpeg 520w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-640x360.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-960x540.jpeg 960w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Comma-Cheat-Sheet-to-Google-Drive-1080x608.jpeg 1080w\" data-svg=\"1\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Why do we need to learn about commas and transitional words?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The simple answer to this is to induce healthy information-sharing and consumption because language and culture are inseparable entities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In other words, this means that the way people think and behave is heavily influenced by how we use language, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-no-matter\/\"><b>no matter<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> what field of discipline is involved.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even the toughest ones like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sydney.edu.au\/science\/our-research\/research-areas\/physics\/quantum-science-group.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>quantum physics<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and neuroscience are highly dependent on the invisible power of language.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We wouldn&rsquo;t have learned about our own history if not for language <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-per-se\/\"><b>per se<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as it is the main reason why information has been passed on for generations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-after-apparently\/\"><b>Apparently<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, we cannot avoid using language in every inch of our interaction in society, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/whether-or-not-vs-whether\/\"><b>whether we like it or not<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, learning how linguistic elements perform their job not only affirms our linguistic intelligence but also boosts our confidence in our linguistic output.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting a hang of these infinitesimal devices would facilitate healthy information-sharing, which is inarguably vital for future generations to come.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>&ldquo;Therefore&rdquo; and how it behaves in sentences<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-or-after-now\/\"><b>Now<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that we&rsquo;ve covered the nooks and crannies of this topic&rsquo;s rationale, let&rsquo;s also go over the transition word &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; in detail.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;Therefore&rdquo; is a transition word that is categorized as a conjunctive adverb in English whose job is to introduce an argument that denotes a result or a conclusion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As this is the case, it is expected that a preliminary proposition or premise exists before the statement using &ldquo;therefore,&rdquo; or at least somewhere nearby.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conjunctive adverbs, also known as adverbial connectors, behave like conjunctions in such a way that they assist the logical and coherent flow of ideas in writing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Words like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-after-hence\/\"><b>hence<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, thereby, consequently, and thus are classified as conjunctive adverbs that denote resultative relationships too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While conjunctions mainly link clauses, conjunctive adverbs are more flexible because they can tether shorter sentence elements like words and phrases.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;Therefore&rdquo; is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-after-often-the-definitive-guide\/\"><b>often<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> used as an introductory element in a statement that is related to a previous claim, which is, again, called a premise.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The premise can be understood as the reason or at least a contributing factor that prompts the writer to create a remark introduced by &ldquo;therefore.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a nutshell, &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; can be simply interpreted as &ldquo;for this reason,&rdquo; which is necessary for linking the gap of two closely-related ideas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To understand better, let&rsquo;s also try to have a glimpse of how to use &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; in sentences.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Using &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; in a sentence<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The easiest way to use &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; is to place it at the beginning of the sentence or, put simply, using it as an introductory word.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Doing so entails the presence of an initial proposition that relates to the sentence introduced by &ldquo;therefore.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">Being subsumed in an echo chamber is a subconscious process. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the factors that lead to this phenomenon.<\/div><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-after-e-g\/\"><b>example<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> above, not only does the second sentence indicate a resultative relationship to the premise.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also suggests the necessity of an investigative approach towards understanding the issue at hand.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;Therefore&rdquo; may also be found somewhere in the middle or towards the end of a single statement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Apparently, the premise is embedded in the same sentence in this kind of structure as in the following example.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">Regular exercise reduces the risk of high blood pressure and, therefore, advisable.<\/div><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The sentence above ends with the adjective &ldquo;advisable,&rdquo; as opposed to completely writing &ldquo;it is advisable.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The use of &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-or-after-also-the-definitive-guide\/\"><b>also<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> helps in saving spaces apart from linking and demonstrating the relationship of the secondary claim to the premise.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>The formality level of &ldquo;therefore&rdquo;<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&ldquo;Therefore&rdquo; is generally expected to be used in the formal <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-rather\/\"><b>rather<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than the casual register due to its antiquated connotation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a remnant of the Old English language, often found in legal and academic texts, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-and\/\"><b>and<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> its usage has become much less popular compared to the 18th and 19th centuries.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This means that we have to use this word sparingly in casual discussions or at least replace it with less formal expressions instead.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While a teacher&rsquo;s lecture may entail a lot of &ldquo;therefores,&rdquo; we may have to stick with &ldquo;so&rdquo; or &ldquo;that&rsquo;s why&rdquo; in a coffee-break chat.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-since\/\"><b>Since<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> we&rsquo;ve already covered the necessary details concerning &ldquo;therefore,&rdquo; let&rsquo;s now move on to punctuation decisions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>The conditions that require a comma after &ldquo;therefore&rdquo;<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Comma-decisions are often guided by grammatical conventions to increase textual readability and intelligibility.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-or-after-however\/\"><b>However<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it is also vital to understand that punctuation decisions may also be dependent on the writer&rsquo;s stylistic choice and purpose.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/bare-in-mind-vs-bear-in-mind\/\"><b>Bearing these two notes in mind<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, let&rsquo;s go over some grammatical conventions that guide the comma placement after &ldquo;therefore.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-11851 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin.jpeg\" alt=\"Comma after therefore: The Definitive Guide\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-200x300.jpeg 200w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-683x1024.jpeg 683w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-768x1152.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-735x1103.jpeg 735w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-223x335.jpeg 223w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-231x347.jpeg 231w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-347x520.jpeg 347w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-427x640.jpeg 427w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-512x768.jpeg 512w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-640x960.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-720x1080.jpeg 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin.jpeg\"><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-11851 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin.jpeg\" alt=\"Comma after therefore: The Definitive Guide\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin.jpeg 320w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-200x300.jpeg 200w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-683x1024.jpeg 683w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-768x1152.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-735x1103.jpeg 735w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-223x335.jpeg 223w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-231x347.jpeg 231w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-347x520.jpeg 347w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-427x640.jpeg 427w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-512x768.jpeg 512w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-640x960.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin-720x1080.jpeg 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Comma-after-therefore-Pin.jpeg\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-2\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>When &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; is used as an introductory remark<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A comma is generally necessary to set off introductory remarks <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/such-as-in-a-sentence\/\"><b>such as<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> words, phrases, fragments, or even clauses in sentences.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is done to provide initial context to the text&rsquo;s audience, which also prompts them to take a pause to digest the information.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We need a comma after an introductory &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; especially when it introduces an argument at length.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">Life is not always fair. Therefore, we also have to learn how to compromise for the sake of others.<\/div><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using a comma after &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; in the sentence above increases the textual clarity and gives the reader time to ponder on the relationship between the two arguments.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>When &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; is used in a mid-sentence parenthesis<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We may also place &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; in the middle of the sentence and make the transition more emphatic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adding emphasis to interruptive remarks is also another known function of commas, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/how-to-use-in-which-in-a-sentence\/\"><b>which<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is vital in increasing the force of the words being used.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When we want to amplify the force of &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; in the sentence, we can structure it in a way that it becomes a parenthetical remark.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Parenthetical remarks are set off with commas no matter where they appear in a sentence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hence, a comma after &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; is always necessary when it ends a parenthetical remark.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">Some regular employees were encouraged to apply for a paid vacation leave, and therefore, the internet connection is quite stable today.<\/div><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The parenthetical commas above signal the reader to pay attention to&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the resultative argument after &ldquo;therefore,&rdquo; <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-resulting-in\/\"><b>resulting in<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the emphatic focus of the outcome.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>When &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; is used after a semicolon<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lastly, we may also add a post-comma to &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; when it comes after a semicolon.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Semicolons bind two closely-related ideas together that may not be that well-represented when separated into two sentences.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To know more about semicolons, you may also check out our other post covering the mystery of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/semicolons\/\"><b>semicolons here<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here&rsquo;s an example to illustrate the explained post-<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-rules\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">comma usage<\/a><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">Our major sponsors have decided to cut back on the research funding from the next quarter; therefore, we have to immediately look for alternative ways to compensate for the impending setback.<\/div><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By simply looking at the heavily-constructed sentence above, innocently missing the comma after &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; is not a very good idea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>The optional comma after &ldquo;therefore&rdquo;<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The previous section enumerated the grammatical conventions <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/that-that\/\"><b>that<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> prompt post-comma usage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-or-after-meanwhile\/\"><b>Meanwhile<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, this section also aims to explain the optional comma insertion, which is dependent on the writer&rsquo;s discretion.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>When &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; causes a weak interruption<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Shorter sentences are generally less ambiguous than those written at length, so commas may not be that necessary in these situations.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In such cases, parenthetical interruptions may not essentially create any confusion to the reader, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-or-after-thus\/\"><b>thus<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, commas may be conveniently omitted.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This kind of decision may also be prompted by the reason that the comma may only make the sentence choppy and awkward to read.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here&rsquo;s how we can use an optional comma after &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; in a short sentence.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">Prejudice therefore induces hostility.<\/div><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>When<\/b> <b>the comma reduces the formality of the statement<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By this point, you must have deduced that commas are used as tools to drive emphasis, as well as remove textual obscurity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On that note, we can <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-thereby\/\"><b>thereby<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> infer that commas create a prosodic or rhythmic effect to the text.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Curiously enough, the rhythm also guides the tonality of the text, making the reader interpret it in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-or-after-either\/\"><b>either<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> an affirmative or negative manner.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This suggests that commas, particularly when frequently used, may create content-related biases that are not advisable in the formal writing context.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, formal texts have to be constructed as neutrally as possible, which can be achieved by avoiding comma placements.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For these reasons, commas may be conveniently omitted by writers, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-especially\/\"><b>especially<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in scholarly or legal articles to attain a more objective stance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here&rsquo;s an example to illustrate that.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">The results revealed that the translator&rsquo;s tendency to intervene with the translation process is influenced by ideological beliefs which therefore supports the initial claim that translation is a sociolinguistic activity.<\/div><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/also-beginning-sentence\/\"><b>Also<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> note that the example sentence above is ineffective and inappropriate when applied in enthusiastic, casual texts, not to mention dealing with beginner-level language learners.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>We need not place a comma after &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; when&hellip;<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that we have exhaustively covered the necessary and optional comma guidelines, it is also vital to know one last principle that dismisses the validity of the last two sections.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To holistically address the topic in this post, let&rsquo;s look at the condition that makes the post-comma placement incorrect.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>When using &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; as a noun<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the word &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; is the topic in this post, it is expected that the word would be used as a noun throughout the text.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nouns can function as subjects or objects in a sentence that do <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-before-not\/\"><b>not<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> necessitate comma placement unless there is a reason to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is true that a comma after a nominally-functioning &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; may nonetheless occur, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/comma-after-for-example\/\"><b>for example<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, when it is followed by an appositive phrase or when it is used serially.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But, other than such mandatory cases, the post-comma placement would be incorrect.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-note\" style=\"border-color:#e5e54c;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\"><div class=\"su-note-inner su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" style=\"background-color:#FFFF66;border-color:#ffffff;color:#333333;border-radius:3px;-moz-border-radius:3px;-webkit-border-radius:3px;\">\n<p><strong>Correct:<\/strong> Therefore is a conjunctive adverb.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Incorrect:<\/strong> Therefore, is a conjunctive adverb.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The incorrect statement above may easily take place when textual bolding, italicizing, or grammar-checker tools are not in the writer&rsquo;s options while writing.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hence, the writer&rsquo;s grammatical knowledge becomes extremely crucial in this kind of scenario.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Frequently Asked Questions on Comma After &ldquo;Therefore&rdquo;<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Can we use &ldquo;so therefore&rdquo; together in a sentence?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The juxtapositional placement of &ldquo;so&rdquo; and &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; in a single statement is generally superfluous in the formal writing context as these two words serve a similar purpose. Unless we are trying to be intentionally poetic or humorous, this has to be avoided at all costs.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>When should we not place commas before and after &ldquo;therefore?&rdquo;<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The parenthetical commas before and after &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; may be conveniently omitted when we want to neutralize the tone of the text. Conversely, we can place the commas when we want to drive emphasis to the transitional word, as well as to the argument it introduces.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>What is an example sentence using &ldquo;therefore&rdquo; after a semicolon?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We can structure the sentence this way when we are linking two closely-related arguments together in the sense that the holistic meaning will not be attained when separating them into two sentences as in &ldquo;The squeaky wheel gets the grease; therefore, the other three are often taken for granted.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although transition words and punctuation marks superficially seem to be negligible linguistic elements, it took me nine pages to explain only one example for each.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since practice makes perfect and books only serve as guides, therefore, you will still be the captain of your own ship and the pilot of your own plane.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In order to know whether we&rsquo;ve written an effective text, we can check its logical coherence, readability, and rhythm. But, how can we achieve this? Taking a closer look at some of the subtlest grammatical elements such as punctuation marks and transition words will make a difference. So, we&rsquo;ve customized a post covering these grammatical &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11850,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable-in-feed":false,"article-schema-type":"Article","disable-critical-css":false,"_convertkit_action_broadcast_export":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,1119,1116],"tags":[80,468,103],"class_list":["post-11845","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english","category-comma-rules","category-grammar","tag-comma","tag-comma-after-therefore","tag-comma-usage"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11845","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11845"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11845\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23556,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11845\/revisions\/23556"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11850"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11845"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11845"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11845"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}