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Turnovers such as punctuation marks. When is a comma placed before the conjunction “how”? Comparative phrase and incomplete subordinate clause

You already know that union– this is an auxiliary part of speech, with the help of which a connection is drawn up between parts of sentences, individual sentences in a text, or between words as part of a simple sentence.

Union"HOW"very often requires the isolation of different syntactic structures.

To understand when to put a comma before a conjunction " HOW", and when not, look at the following examples.

Comma before the conjunction "HOW" is put

1. Commas highlight or separate phrases beginning with a conjunction"HOW"

1) if they denote assimilation , without other shades of meaning (" HOW" has the meaning " like»).

For example: Below it is the Caucasus , like the edge of a diamond, shone with eternal snow. Her voice rang , like a bell. Her green eyes sparkled , like gooseberries. And he saw himself rich , like in a dream. (Krylov) His hands were shaking , like mercury. (Gogol) The air is clean and fresh , like kissing a child...(Lermontov) Like a seagull , the sail there is white in height.

Comparative phrases in our language not only convey similarities or differences, but also give beauty and expressiveness to the language.

The punctuation rule about the comparative phrase is not so complicated: it is always separated by commas on both sides.

For example: At the bottom , like a mirror , the water glistened. Around the tall brow , like clouds , the curls turn black. (Pushkin) Below , like a steel mirror, The lake streams turn blue. (Tyutchev) Sparkled brightly in the sky , like a living eye , first star. (Goncharov) Anchar , like a menacing sentry, stands alone in the entire universe (A.S. Pushkin).

What are the difficulties and where do the mistakes come from?

First difficulty- insufficiently thoughtful attitude to the text. If you do not understand that the sentence is comparing something to something else, you will not notice the comparative phrase. Here's a simple conclusion: always try to understand the text you are writing down.

Second difficulty is that among comparisons there are syntactic “dwarfs” and syntactic “giants”. This is what “dwarf” comparisons can look like; they can be accidentally overlooked.

For example: I myself , like a beast , was alien to people and crawled and hid , like a snake(M. Yu. Lermontov).

And here’s what “giants” comparisons might look like: In front of them , like ocean waves petrified during a storm, mountain ranges spread out.

What kind of trouble can be caused with such a proposal?

First, just forget to close the turn with a comma. This misfortune happens with all common phrases: having “caught” its beginning, many do not retain it in memory until the end - and then goodbye, second comma!

Secondly, without thinking about the meaning of the phrase, cut the “giant”, hastening to put a comma ahead of time, for example after the word petrified, and thereby turn the sentence into complete nonsense.

2) If there is an indicative word in the main part of the sentence so, so, so, so.

For example: The Lyceum gave Russia such people , like Pushkin, Pushchin, Delvig. The coachman was equally amazed at his generosity , like the Frenchman himself from Dubrovsky’s proposal. (Pushkin) Nowhere else at a mutual meeting do they bow so nobly and naturally , like on Nevsky Prospekt. (Gogol) His facial features were the same , just like my sister. (L. Tolstoy) Laevsky is certainly harmful and just as dangerous to society , like a cholera microbe... (Chekhov) Everything around is somehow churchy, and the smell of oil is as strong as in a church. (Bitter)

3) If the turnover begins with the combination like.

For example: Trees , just like people , have their own destiny. To Moscow , like the whole country, I feel my sonhood , like an old nanny(Paustovsky). In her eyes , as well as throughout the face, there was something unusual. Just like at last year's competitions, the athletes of the Russian Federation were ahead;

4) If union "HOW" included in the introductory sentence . The following expressions are most often used as introductory sentences:

As I remember now, how they spoke, how we learned, how some people think, as well as combinations like now, as one, as a rule, as an exception, as usual, as always, as before, as now, as now, as on purpose and so on.

For example: It was , as you can guess, our heroine. Residents of the house are all , as one , poured out into the yard. I see , as it is now , the owner himself... (Pushkin) Classes have begun , as usual , at nine o'clock in the morning. I remember , like now , my first teacher at school. How on purpose , there was not a penny in my pocket. Commas , usually , participial phrases are highlighted. Spartakiad , as usual , takes place in the summer.

But! The indicated combinations are not separated by commas if they are part of the predicate or are closely related to it in meaning.

For example: Classes start as usual. Snowfalls occur in December as a rule (=usually). Yesterday went as usual(i.e. as usual);

5) in revolutions none other than and none other than; the same as and the same as.

For example: Rhine Falls in front nothing else , How low water ledge (Zhukovsky). But in front of her was none other , How traveling Aigle, a famous collector of legends, fairy tales, tales. It was none other , How Rylov.

2. If the application is with a union"HOW"has the meaning of causality, it is separated by commas.

For example: Like a true Frenchman, Triquet brought a verse to Tatyana (A.S. Pushkin) in his pocket. Why did he bring the verse to Tatyana? - like a true Frenchman.

If the application has no additional values, it is separated by a comma.

For example: Such a tool , like a screwdriver , always useful on the farm. Neither one nor the other question can be raised here.

3. In a complex sentence, when attaching a subordinate clause:"HOW"acts as a subordinating conjunction and connects the subordinate clause with the main one.

For example: He sees , like a field father cleans up. Love jumped out in front of us , like it jumps out of the ground murderer, and amazed us both at once. I looked for a long time , how the candle burns.

(Reminder: how to distinguish a complex sentence from a complex sentence? In a complex sentence, you can ask a question from one part of the sentence to another. Using the example above: " I looked for a long time- for what? - how the candle burns". In complex sentences, the parts are equal).

Comma before conjunction"HOW" not placed

1. Turnovers with a union"HOW"are not separated by commas

1) If the meaning of the circumstance of the course of action comes to the fore in circulation (to the question How?); Usually such phrases can be replaced by the instrumental case of a noun or an adverb.

For example: Buckshot rained down like hail.(Lermontov) (Compare: rained down like hail .) Dreams disappeared like smoke. (Lermontov) Like a demon is insidious and evil(Lermontov) (Compare: demonically insidious.)

The ring burns like heat.(Nekrasov) In anger, he thundered like thunder and sparkled like steel. The horse flies like a snowstorm, like a blizzard hurries. They flared like lightning in the sky, like fiery rain fell from the sky.

2) If the main meaning of the phrase is equating or identifying.

For example: …You loved me as property, as a source of joy, worries and sorrows...(Lermontov) (Compare: ...loved me, considering me his property.) …He[Judas] handed over his stone as the only one what he could give(Saltykov-Shchedrin);

3) If union "HOW"has the meaning "as" or turnover with the union "HOW" (application) characterizes an object from any one aspect.

For example: Rich, good-looking, Lensky was accepted everywhere as a groom. (Pushkin) I speak like a writer. (Gorky) My ignorance of the language and silence was interpreted as diplomatic silence. (Mayakovsky) We know India as a country of ancient culture. The public appreciated the early Chekhov as a subtle humorist. We know Lermontov more as a poet and prose writer and less as a playwright. I will keep this letter as a memory. Yuri Gagarin made history as the world's first astronaut. The environmental issue arises as the main question of today.

4) If the turnover forms the nominal part of the compound predicate or the meaning is closely related to the predicate (usually in these cases the predicate does not have a complete meaning without a comparative phrase).

For example: Some are like emerald, others are like coral. (Krylov) She herself walked like wild. (Goncharov) I became like a child in soul. (Turgenev) Father and mother are like strangers to her. (Dobrolyubov) I watched how. (Arsenyev)

She behaves like a mistress.(If we take the predicate “ holds on» without turnover « like a mistress", then it turns out " she's holding on", and you might think that she is holding on to something.)

Compare also: feel as if in one’s own element, behave as if insane, understand as a hint, perceive as praise, recognize as danger, look at as a child, greet as a friend, evaluate as an achievement, consider as an exception, take for granted, present as a fact, qualify as a violation of the law, note as a great success, interest as a novelty, put forward as a project, justify as a theory, accept as inevitable, develop as a tradition, express as a proposal, interpret as a reluctance to take part, define as a case of a separate application, characterize as a type, stand out as talent, formalize as an official document, be used as a phraseological figure, sound like a call, enter as an integral part, appear as a representative, feel like a foreign body, exist as an independent organization, arise as something unexpected, develop as a progressive idea, carry out as an urgent task and so on.;

5) If comparative phrase is preceded by negation Not or words completely, completely, almost, like, exactly, exactly, directly, simply and so on.

For example: I cultivated in myself this feeling of holiday not as rest and simply a means for further struggle, but as a desired goal, the completion of the highest creativity of life. (Prishvin) It was almost as bright as day. Children sometimes think just like adults. The girl's hair curls exactly like her mother's. The newspaper was not published as always. He just like a child.

6) If turnover has the character of a stable combination .

We have come to the most interesting case - phraseological units. Our speech is permeated with phraseological units. These are stable phrases, colored with irony, cunning, and slyness.

For example: I need a fifth leg like a dog, it will help like a poultice for a dead person.

Phraseologisms bring into our speech not only imagery, but also mischief and a smile. And what is very important is that they do not require a comma before the conjunction" HOW"!

For example: He's everywhere felt at home. Brother and sister similar as two peas in a pod. At the lion's It was like a mountain had been lifted off my shoulders.(Krylov) Tell the doctor to bandage his wound and took care of him like the apple of his eye. (Pushkin) The young couple were happy, and their life flowed like clockwork. (Chekhov)

There are no strict grammatical rules to help distinguish phraseological units from ordinary comparative phrases. You just need to be able to “recognize when you meet” as many phraseological units as possible.

Among the stable phrases that are not separated by commas, there are also “dwarfs”: works like an ox(or like a horse), tired or hungry as a dog, stupid as a plug, white as a harrier, mad, crazy, rooted to the spot and so on. There is no comma before " HOW"in combinations no how no And right here. A phrase of impressive size is not separated by commas either. as if nothing had happened.

Compare also: white as a harrier, white as a sheet, white as snow, pale as death, shines like a mirror, the disease vanished as if by hand, feared like fire, wanders like a restless person, rushed like crazy, mumbles like a sexton, ran in like crazy, spins like a squirrel in a wheel , squeals like a pig, I see like in the daytime, everything is as if on selection, jumped up as if stung, looked like a wolf, stupid as a cork, naked like a falcon, hungry like a wolf, as far as the sky from the earth, trembling as if in a fever, trembling like an aspen leaf, he's like water off a duck's back, waiting like manna from heaven, fell asleep like the dead, healthy as an ox, knows like the back of his hand, walks along like a man sewn, rolled like cheese in butter, sways like a drunk, swayed like jelly, red as a lobster, strong like an oak tree, screams like a catechumen, flies like an arrow, beats like Sidorov's goat, bald as a knee, pours like a bucket, waves his arms like a mill, rushes about like a madman, wet like a mouse, gloomy like a cloud, people like herrings in a barrel, not to be seen like your ears, dumb as a grave, running around like crazy, needed like air, stopped dead in your tracks, remained like a stranded lobster, sharp as a razor, different as heaven from earth, turned white as a sheet, repeated as if in delirium, you'll go like a dear, remember what was the name, hit like a butt on the head, looked like two peas in a pod, sank like a stone, loyal like a dog, stuck like a bath leaf, fell through the ground, disappeared as if sank into water, just like a knife to the heart, burned like in fire, dissipated like smoke, grew like mushrooms after rain, fell out of the blue, fresh as blood and milk, fresh as a cucumber, sat as if on needles, sat as if on coals, sat as if chained, listened as if spellbound, watched as enchanted, slept like the dead, slender like a cypress, hard as a stone, dark as night, skinny like a skeleton, cowardly like a hare, died like a hero, fell like a man knocked down, rested like a ram, stubborn like a donkey, tired like a dog, whipped like a bucket, walked like being submerged in water, cold as ice, black as hell, feeling at home, staggering like a drunk, walking as if to execution and so on.

2. In addition, the word "HOW" can be part of a compound union both... and... or because, as well as revolutions since, since, as much as possible, as little as possible or more. In such cases, a comma is placed either before " HOW", or before the whole complex union.

For example: He has excellent grades in both Russian and mathematics. This topic is touched upon in both poetry and prose. Both children and adults love fairy tales. Avoid empty speeches, as their outcome is repentance.

He finished the story as they reached the place. Larisa worked in a hairdresser while Ivan was finishing college.

Since the eternal judge
He gave me the omniscience of a prophet,
I read in people's eyes
Pages of malice and vice.
(M. Yu. Lermontov)

3. In a complex sentence with homogeneous subordinate clauses after coordinating conjunctions.

For example: It’s nice to listen in a warm room to how angry the wind is and how the taiga groans.

4. Union"HOW" can be present in a sentence without attaching absolutely any semantic-syntactic block, but only as a means of expressiveness of speech.

For example: We have worked hard; I tried not to be separated from my friends as long as possible; The weight of the luggage seemed to lessen; I was just about to go to the skating rink and so on.

If you remember, not so long ago in one of the blog posts it was mentioned that a comma before “HOW” is only used in case of comparison.

“Politicians such as Ivanov, Petrov, Sidorov...” - a comma is added because there is a noun "policy".

BUT: “...politicians such as Ivanov, Petrov, Sidorov...” - a comma is NOT placed before “how”.

Let's try to expand the topic a little.

A comma is placed before the conjunction “how” in three cases:

1. If this the conjunction enters into phrases close to introductory words, For example:

AS A RULE, AS AN EXCEPTION, AS A CONSEQUENCE, AS ALWAYS, AS NOW, AS ON PURPOSE, AS FOR EXAMPLE, AS NOW

In the morning, as if on purpose, it started to rain;

2. If this a conjunction connects parts of a complex sentence, for example:

We watched for a long time as the coals of the fire smoldered;

3. If in a sentence there is a circumstance expressed by comparative expression, which begins with the conjunction “as”, for example:

Please note: if the sentence continues after the phrase with the conjunction “as”, then you need to put another comma at the end of the phrase.

Below, the water shone like a mirror;

We watched for a long time as the coals of the fire smoldered, unable to tear ourselves away from this spectacle.

Phrases with the conjunction “how” are not isolated in five cases:

1. If the phrase with the conjunction “how” in a sentence acts as a circumstance of the manner of action. In short, if the phrase with “how” describes how the action took place, For example:

The path twisted like a snake- we all see that it is the action that is being described? So, we don't put a comma.

In such cases, the phrase with “how” can be replaced by an adverb (“snake-like”) or a noun in the instrumental case (“snake”).

To reinforce this, I propose to come up with several such phrases and explain to yourself why they should contain a comma. If it doesn’t work out, please leave a comment.

Unfortunately, it is not always possible to distinguish the circumstances of the manner of action with complete confidence from the circumstances of comparison, but you can always explain the placement of a comma for those who doubt it, based on the context that you put in the sentence.

2. If a phrase with the conjunction “how” is part of a phraseological unit

Most of them are in the promised bonus.

3. If the phrase with the conjunction “how” is part of the predicate and a sentence without such a phrase does not have a complete meaning, for example:

She behaves like a mistress- please note that “she holds on” does not express the meaning of the sentence, but if “like a mistress”, then we immediately imagine the whispers of the envious mistress of the oligarch;

4. If the conjunction “how” is between the subject and the predicate(without this conjunction a dash would have to be placed there), for example:

Lake like a mirror;

5. If the comparative phrase is preceded by the negation “not” or particles

PERFECT

EXACTLY THE SAME

SIMPLY, for example:

They don't do everything like neighbors or Her hair curls exactly like her mother's;

In addition, we must remember that the word “how” can be part of the compound conjunction “as ... so and” or “since”, as well as phrases

SINCE

SINCE THE TIME

AS

AS LESS (MORE) POSSIBLE, etc.

In this case, naturally, there is no comma before “how” either.

All the windows, both in the manor's house and in the common ones, are wide open.(Saltykov-Shchedrin)

He didn’t take cutlets with him for breakfast and now he regretted it, since he was already hungry(According to Chekhov).

So, the promised bonus.

Expressions with comparison (without commas):

Offtopic

poor as a church mouse

white as a harrier

white as a sheet

white as snow

fight like a fish on ice

pale as death

shines like a mirror

the disease vanished as if by hand

fear like fire

wanders around like a restless person

rushed like crazy

mumbles like a sexton

ran in like crazy

lucky, as a drowned man

spins like a squirrel in a wheel

visible as day

squeals like a pig

lies like a gray gelding

everything is going like clockwork

everything is as chosen

jumped up as if scalded

jumped up as if stung

stupid as a plug

looked like a wolf

goal like a falcon

hungry as wolf

as far as heaven from earth

shaking as if with a fever

trembled like an aspen leaf

he's like water off a duck's back

wait like manna from heaven

wait like a holiday

lead a cat and dog life

live like a bird of heaven

fell asleep like the dead

frozen like a statue

lost like a needle in a haystack

sounds like music

healthy as a bull

know like crazy

have at one's fingertips

fits like a cow's saddle

goes next to me like it's sewn on

like he sank into the water

roll around like cheese in butter

sways like a drunk

swayed (swayed) like jelly

handsome as god

red like a tomato

red as a lobster

strong (strong) like an oak

screams like a catechumen

light as a feather

flies like an arrow

bald as a knee

it's raining cats and dogs

waves his arms like a windmill

rushing around like crazy

wet as a mouse

gloomy as a cloud

dropping like flies

hope like a stone wall

people like sardines in a barrel

dress up like a doll

you can't see your ears

silent as the grave

dumb as a fish

rush (rush) like crazy

rush (rush) like crazy

rushing around like a fool with a written bag

runs around like a chicken and an egg

needed like air

needed like last year's snow

needed like the fifth spoke in a chariot

Like a dog needs a fifth leg

peel off like sticky

one like a finger

remained broke like a lobster

stopped dead in his tracks

razor sharp

different as day from night

different as heaven from earth

bake like pancakes

turned white as a sheet

turned pale as death

repeated as if in delirium

you'll go like a darling

remember your name

remember like in a dream

get caught like chickens in cabbage soup

hit like a gun on the head

sprinkle like a cornucopia

similar as two peas in a pod

sank like a stone

appear as if by command of a pike

loyal like a dog

stuck like a bath leaf

fall through the ground

good (useful) like milk from a goat

disappeared as if into the water

just like a knife to the heart

burned like fire

works like an ox

understands oranges like a pig

disappeared like smoke

play it like clockwork

grow like mushrooms after the rain

grow by leaps and bounds

drop from the clouds

fresh like blood and milk

fresh as a cucumber

sat as if chained

sit on pins and needles

sit on coals

listened as if spellbound

looked enchanted

slept like a log

rush like hell

stands like a statue

slender as a Lebanese cedar

melts like a candle

hard as a rock

dark as night

accurate as a clock

skinny as a skeleton

cowardly as a hare

died like a hero

fell as if knocked down

stubborn as a sheep

stuck like a bull

mulish

tired as a dog

cunning like a fox

cunning like a fox

gushes like a bucket

walked around like a daze

walked like a birthday boy

walk on a thread

cold as ice

skinny as a sliver

black as coal

black as hell

feel at home

feel like you're behind a stone wall

feel like a fish in water

staggered like a drunk

It's like being executed

as clear as two and two is four

clear as day

So, let's summarize.

A comma is used if:

The Union opens a new proposal;

Union opens comparative turnover (circumstance)

The conjunction opens an application with a causal meaning (substituted with “since” or “since”)

The comma is not used if:

- “as” is in a compound conjunction (“while”, “since”)

The comparative phrase with “how” is a phraseological unit, a stable expression

The conjunction can be replaced by a phrase with “as” (“Petrov, as a professor in our department, reads all coursework,” compare, “Petrov, as a professor in our department, reads all coursework”)

The conjunction attaches the nominal part of the predicate. That is, if your predicate essentially consists of two words, one of which is a verb, and the second is a noun or adjective.

It's not as scary as you thought. Look.

“Ira was a short, dark woman.” Ira was dark-skinned. We see that “was” and “dark woman” seem to be connected. And in the case of the sentence “Ira, as a short, dark-skinned woman, stood out sharply from the rest,” we do not highlight “how” with a comma. Again, you can substitute it - it’s a stretch, of course, but it’s also suitable - our favorite “as quality”. -> “Ira, as a short, dark-skinned woman, stood out sharply...”

I, of course, am not one of those who give homework, but in order to more clearly imagine each of the cases, I advise you to come up with two or three examples in accordance with each rule. Everything will settle down in your head much faster + when explaining why you put or don’t put a comma, you will use your own words, which are much closer than my attempts to express myself simply and clearly.) Forward!

To put or not to put a comma before a conjunction? It seems like a simple question. Since school days, we have learned that a comma is used if this conjunction is part of a comparative phrase. Is this statement really true? Or does this rule have exceptions? If they exist, what are they? In order not to get into an awkward situation because of commas, let's figure out when they really need to be placed before this conjunction, and at what moments it is not necessary to do this at all.

In what situations is a comma used?

At first let's look at simpler examples when you need to put a punctuation mark before a conjunction. It is not difficult to remember them, they are quite simple, and there are few such cases.

1. If a conjunction joins together separate fragments of a complex sentence, then a comma is used. It’s easy to learn and remember, because in such cases you simply cannot do without a punctuation mark. For example: We recalled with pleasure how our class visited the zoo several years ago.
2. If the conjunction is an integral part of the introductory words in a sentence, then we must also put a comma. There are few such phrases in the Russian language, but they are often used in colloquial speech. For example: I was late for school today, as always.
3. If a conjunction is used in a comparative phrase, it is separated by a comma on both sides. It is not difficult to recognize such phrases. They have the meaning “like” and it is impossible to choose any other meanings without changing the meaning of the sentence. For example: His eyes are as blue as the sky on a clear day.

Another interesting point should be noted here, if such the phrase is in the middle of the sentence, then it should not be separated by commas. In this sentence, the entire construction that fits the meaning is isolated. For example: In the room, Vadim, angry as hell, paced the room. In this case, the definition of evil is added to the comparative phrase.

This emphasis is made because this part of the sentence has indivisible semantic connection. If we do not put the punctuation mark this way, then we will understand this part of the text differently. The presence of the word and in this situation does not change this rule. This part of the sentence remains a comparative phrase and acts as a circumstance. Consequently, such a part, together with the word, is distinguished by a punctuation mark.

For example: At school, like all children, they treat me well.

4. If the above comparative phrase is in the middle of the sentence, then it is separated by commas on both sides: at the beginning and at the end of this construction. For example: In this case it wouldIt was hot as an oven that day.

Is a comma necessary?

Now let's look at situations where punctuation is not required. With them there is often confusion, although there is nothing complicated here. If you understand these points, you will not have any special difficulties. By the way, such cases when a comma is not needed are also rare in the Russian language, so you won’t need to remember a large amount of information.

1. If the conjunction is between the subject and the predicate, and a dash can be put in its place, then a comma is not needed here. The meaning of the phrase should not change. For example: He's like a hawk.
2. If this union is part of a phraseological unit. Let us recall that this concept in the Russian language includes indivisible linguistic stable phrases. For example: The brothers were as different as heaven and earth.
3. If the conjunction in the continuation denotes a circumstance of the manner of action, then a comma is not placed before it. For example: The flag fluttered like a bird. In these situations, a phrase with a conjunction can be replaced with an adverb ( bird style) or use a noun in the instrumental case ( bird). Often this is the moment that people have the most doubts about. Sometimes it can be very difficult to distinguish a comparison from a circumstance of a course of action.
4. When a phrase with a conjunction is an indivisible part of the predicate. Here, a sentence without it will not have the desired meaning. In such cases, a comma is not used. For example: The girl turned red as a tomato.
5. If the conjunction is preceded by the words: completely, completely, almost, exactly, like, simply, exactly, and also the particle not, then a comma is not placed in front of it. This is a simple rule, but it is often forgotten. For example: They did not look at each other as friends.

Compound conjunctions and the word like

​Sometimes the word as is part of a compound union or turnover, for example: as and so on. Of course, they don’t put a comma here, because in such cases this word is not a conjunction. For example: Since he appeared, silence has disappeared. The above rules and examples for them, when a comma is placed or not placed in sentences, will help you not make mistakes when writing texts. A person’s literacy is always in his own hands, so a lot depends on attentiveness and knowledge.

Comma before conjunctionHOW

Today we have another entry in the section “ Literacy Minute", and it will talk about a very common difficulty: the placement or non-placement of a comma before the conjunction . I think you, like me, have often found yourself in a difficult position, wondering whether a comma is needed before a conjunction or not. Today we will learn once and for all when this unfortunate comma is used and when it is not. So...

A comma is added.

We will start with those cases where a comma occurs. There are not many of these cases and, in principle, they are not difficult to remember.

1. A comma is placed in the case if union connects parts of a complex sentence. Everything here is easy and clear; in this case, you simply cannot do without a comma.

Example: We watched with pleasure as our friend reached the finish line first.

2. When the union enters into phrases close in meaning to introductory words. There are few such phrases in Russian, here are the main ones: as an exception, as a consequence, as always, as on purpose, as for example, as now, as now, as a rule, etc.

For example: In the morning before leaving, as if on purpose, it started to rain.

3. In the event that if the sentence contains a circumstance expressed by a comparative phrase that begins with a conjunction .

Example: There were people inside like sardines in a barrel.

I draw your attention to the fact that if after the turnover with the union the sentence continues, then you need to put another comma at the end of the phrase (isolate it). For example: In the distance, the water sparkled like a mirror..

The comma is NOT included.

Now I propose to determine those cases when the union is not separated by a comma.

1. In the event that eif unionstands between subject and predicate, Awithouthimthere would have to be a dash there.

For example: Nose like a beak. Night is like day.

2. If the turnover is with a unionis part of a phraseological unit. As we well know, phraseological units are separate integral linguistic structures, usually unchangeable.

For example: Duringconversationhe sat on pins and needles.

3. Whenturnover with the unionin a sentence acts as an adverbial circumstance of the course of action.

For example: The path twisted like a snake.

In such cases, our turnover with the union can be replaced by an adverb ( like a snake) or a noun in the instrumental case ( snake). However, the problem is that the circumstances of the course of action cannot always be distinguished with complete certainty from the circumstances of comparison. It is precisely such cases that cause the most difficulties for writers.

4. In those casesif the turnover is with a unionis part of the predicate and a sentence without such a phrase does not have a complete meaning.

Example: Young womanholdingI wanted tolike a mistress.

5. If a comparative phrase is preceded by a negationNot orone of the following particles: completely, completely, almost, exactly, like, simply, exactly. In this case, instead of a comma, there is already a particle ( no, like, simple, etc..), so such moments, as a rule, do not raise much doubt.

For example: These two are not acting like good friends. In this light, her face was exactly like her mother's.

Compound conjunctions.

Do not forget that the word can be part of a compound union … So And… or because, as well as revolutions: since, as long as, since, as little (more) as possible, etc.. It is quite natural that in such cases the comma before not installed.

For example: All windows are as inthe house itself, and inthere werewide open.

That's all for today. I hope we have brought the necessary clarity to the issue of placing commas before the conjunction , and this knowledge will be useful to you in your everyday writing activities. Don't forget to follow the blog updates! See you soon!