Thread: Help with commas and и

I've been studying Russian for awhile using an old book. Anyhoo, I'm aware with the basic comma rules for и, but I came across with several sentences in the book that seem to contrast with the rule (or I thought).

1. там всегда тихо и я хорошо отдыхаю после работы. Why is there no comma before и when both clauses have two different subjects?

2. Все говорят очень громко и я никогда не могу читать, работать или отдыхать. Same question with above.

3. Теперь у меня есть новый диван, и я всегда предпочитаю сидеть на диване. Why is there a comma before и when I have the same subject in both clauses? what gives?

4. я сегодня много работал, и завтра у меня мого работы. same question as above (#3).

5. у меня один диван, три стула, и четыре книги. Should there be no comma after the second to last adjectives (or listing)?

English is my native language but commas is not exactly my strongest suit. Answers would be so helpful!!

Originally Posted by BritRusUSA

I've been studying Russian for awhile using an old book. Anyhoo, I'm aware with the basic comma rules for и, but I came across with several sentences in the book that seem to contrast with the rule (or I thought).

I don`t know what kind of book that is. Russian tutorial or fiction? If the last one, then author`s punctuation may be legal.

Was it published outside of Russia\USSR?

1. там всегда тихо и я хорошо отдыхаю после работы. Why is there no comma before и when both clauses have two different subjects?

I would put a comma, if is not an "author`s punctuation".
(Both sub-sentences are kind of uniform, needed to be percieved quickly as united. If the matter about some place (kitchen, for e.g.) - in order to show that both parts of the sentence refer to it. Like in sentences with uniform members (там красиво и тепло - no comma).
The word "там" especially gives me that notion.

2. Все говорят очень громко и я никогда не могу читать, работать или отдыхать. Same question with above.

Similar explanation. I think the context might be about some place (noun), in order to emphasize the problem, 2 sentences are united like uniform members. Kinda strange, though, I would put comma.

3. Теперь у меня есть новый диван, и я всегда предпочитаю сидеть на диване. Why is there a comma before и when I have the same subject in both clauses? what gives?

ЕСТЬ + И + Я ПРЕДПОЧИТАЮ

Two different sub-sentences, comma between them.
Сложносочиненное (Глава 36. Синтаксис. Сложносочинённые предложения / Как устроен наш язык. Большой справочник по теории для 5-11 классов / )

4. я сегодня много работал, и завтра у меня много работы. [B]same question as above (#3).

Same as #3, no contradiction. Сложносочиненное.

5. у меня один диван, три стула, и четыре книги. Should there be no comma after the second to last adjectives (or listing)?

No comma before "и"!


word, word, word, word ....... и word

Uniform members-words (nouns, adj, verbs - anything) each after comma, but if "и" (before the last one) is used, no comma in front of it.