Quote:
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?
Quote:
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.
Quote:
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.
Quote:
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 / )
Quote:
4. я сегодня много работал, и завтра у меня много работы. [B]same question as above (#3).
Same as #3, no contradiction. Сложносочиненное.
Quote:
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.
