Not learnt commas

Commas represent a pause when you have an introductory element. So: However, we did not like them. However we tried, we were not able to win the game. Therefore, he chose a different decision. For more: [https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general\_writing/punctuation/commas/commas\_after\_introductions.html](https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/commas/commas_after_introductions.html)

Commas can get spicy. If you're doing technical writing, just follow along with what the grammar check tools say to do. To answer your question directly, a comma after those words and phrases would be common where I use English. You can probably see all the comma disagreement among native speakers in this post, though. I generally find extra commas, to be more annoying, than, missing commas. I aim to use commas as a way to separate parts of a sentence or thought that I don't want broken by a period—you have other tools for this too: the colon, the em dash (—), the semicolon (if you're brave and maybe a little reckless)... Even an ellipsis like that (...)! And of course, parentheses work too. Overuse any of them and they will become tedious. Use a mixture throughout your writing in a way that doesn't seem forced (as my example may have) and you will sound like a master. Which punctuation mark you use, when, and how often is more style than hard rule, most of the time. For example, articles in a list should be separated by a comma, but there is even disagreement there (see: the oxford comma). If you want to learn and follow all the hard rules, you will be taking on more work than most native speakers do! You'll find that the rules often disagree or are just plain unclear. Eventually you will develop a unique style. I hope it doesn't overuse commas.

I was taught how to use commas and semicolons using the method [outlined here](https://valenciacollege.edu/students/learning-support/west/communications/writing-center/documents/SentenceRulesrevisedfall2011.pdf). The short answer for why you’d put a comma after “however” etc. is that it’s functioning as an adverbial conjunction.

In the particular case you're referring to, I'd imagine the comma as a mark that signifies, "The word in front of me can be placed elsewhere in the sentence and it will be all good." So, for example, "We, however, did not like them." "We did not, however, like them." "We did not like them, however." Now consider 'although', instead. Logically it means something similar to 'however,', but you can't move it from its position at the beginning of the clause. "Although we did not like them..." No comma after 'Although.'

The rules governing comma usage are somewhat complex, but they're not merely used to indicate a pause. Among other things they're used: To separate more than two items in a list "Apples, oranges, and pears" Before a coordinating conjunction "I hear you, but I disagree" To separate appositives "My brother, the doctor, came by yesterday" To separate an introductory phrase, especially if it's a fronted dependent clause "After doing the laundry, I went home" To separate more than two attributive adjectives "He was strong, happy, and healthy" In many of these cases, we would not naturally use a pause where the comma is. One way that commas should not be used is to connect two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction. This is called a comma splice and English teachers don't like it. "I went to the store, I bought some milk" I see your examples as introductory phrases, so they should be followed by commas.

You're talking specifically about what some people call transitions. https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/transitions/

With!!! :)

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