When should you use a comma after an introductory word or phrase?

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Multiple Choice

When should you use a comma after an introductory word or phrase?

When a sentence starts with an introductory word or phrase, you set it off with a comma to show it’s leading into the main idea. This pause helps the reader see the structure and where the main clause begins. For example, After the meeting, we discussed the budget. Or, However, I changed my mind. The comma after the introductory element signals the transition to the main clause. Using a semicolon after an introductory phrase isn’t standard here, because semicolons separate independent clauses, not just a lead-in. Brackets aren’t used to mark this pause in everyday writing, and saying you never use a comma would ignore a common, clear punctuation habit. So, the correct approach is to place a comma after introductory words or phrases to separate them from the main clause.

When a sentence starts with an introductory word or phrase, you set it off with a comma to show it’s leading into the main idea. This pause helps the reader see the structure and where the main clause begins. For example, After the meeting, we discussed the budget. Or, However, I changed my mind. The comma after the introductory element signals the transition to the main clause.

Using a semicolon after an introductory phrase isn’t standard here, because semicolons separate independent clauses, not just a lead-in. Brackets aren’t used to mark this pause in everyday writing, and saying you never use a comma would ignore a common, clear punctuation habit. So, the correct approach is to place a comma after introductory words or phrases to separate them from the main clause.

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