Learn English – Clauses, and comma before “nor”

clausesconjunctions

Does this sentence have two independent clauses?

I do not like biology nor do I like chemistry.

To me the last clause seems dependent, but I find sources that tell me to place a comma before nor, thus making it an independent clause. What are your thoughts?

Best Answer

They can stand alone as sentences:

I do not like biology. Nor do I like chemistry.

Therefore they are independent clauses.

They can also work with a comma as you suggest, or a semicolon:

I do not like biology, nor do I like chemistry.

You could use a dependent clause to express the same thing:

I do not like biology nor like chemistry.

(Valid, but awkward in this particular case. A comma would be valid but not necessary here, and probably improve it)

Or just simple conjunction on the nouns:

I do not like biology or chemistry.

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