Re: "and then," or simply "then"?

["Tom Johnson" <tomjohnson1492 -at- gmail -dot- com>]

Sorry for appearing to drift. I was trying to point out that some grammar
rules are less firm than we think. Here's that reference for "then" in the
Apple style guide that I mentioned:
http://developer.apple.com/documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/APStyleGuide/AppleStyleGuide2006.pdf.
The excerpt is below, with the most relevant sentence in bold.


*then *Then is not a coordinating conjunction. In plain, declarative
sentences that consist of two or more independent clauses, then should
(usually) be preceded by a
comma and and, or by a semicolon. First you insert the CD, and then you
install the printer software.
*
*First you insert the CD; then you install the printer software.

*In the imperative mood, as in how-to steps, then is OK without the
conjunction.*

Insert the CD, then install the printer software.

It's also correct to use and then in imperative sentences consisting of two
independent clauses, or to precede then by a semicolon.

Insert the CD, and then install the printer software.
Insert the CD; then install the printer software.

Avoid using then unnecessarily:

Preferable: If you save a document often, you're less likely to lose
changes.

Avoid: If you save a document often, then you're less likely to lose
changes.

Whichever style you choose, be consistent throughout a project.




On Mon, Sep 22, 2008 at 3:01 PM, Combs, Richard
<richard -dot- combs -at- polycom -dot- com>wrote:

> Tom Johnson wrote:
>
> > > > [TJ] Also note that two short independent clauses separated by a
> > > > coordinating conjunction don't always require a comma. For
> > > > example, "Timothy played the guitar and Betty sang." See The
> > > > Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, section 6.32.
>
> Well, yes, but you've drifted completely away from the original issue --
> it wasn't about punctuation.
>
> In the example above, "and" is quite properly used as a conjunction, and
> the comma is optional -- the sentence is grammatically correct with or
> without it.
>
> Now change the sentence to "Timothy played the guitar then Betty sang."
> I submit this would be grammatically _incorrect_ with or without the
> comma. The issue, as in the original post, isn't the comma, it's the
> misuse of the adverb "then" as a conjunction.
>
> Richard
>
>
> Richard G. Combs
> Senior Technical Writer
> Polycom, Inc.
> richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
> 303-223-5111
> ------
> rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
> 303-777-0436
> ------
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


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