Commas and Clauses – When to Put a Comma Before ‘So That’?

clausescommas

I am not sure where I got the idea that a comma must be added before "so that", but I have been doing this for a while now, and now I realized it might be ungrammatical, or is it? When would you add a comma?

For example:

You should do several of the things that he asked you to do so that he
doesn't blame you for his failure.

Best Answer

You do not put a comma before "so that". Refer to this thread on wordreference, for example: https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/comma-before-so-that-conjunction-she-pulled-him-to-the-side-so-that.2974733/ Side note: The last two sentences seen in the first post are incorrect. A better way of writing those sentences are:

My pencil fell under my desk, so I couldn't see it.

George often told stories that weren't true, so no one believed him when he told about a deer in the school yard.

Commas go before the subordinate clause. "So that" pertains to a situation where someone does something in order to have an intended effect.

He told her a joke so that she could laugh.

I do agree that placing a comma in your example works for the sake of cohesion. However, it isn't correct, strictly speaking, in terms of grammar. It is up to you and whether you prioritize being a stickler for the oftentimes convoluted rules of the English language, or you prioritize your audience understanding you.

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