The Russian language is as beautiful as it is difficult. Moreover, both for foreigners, and sometimes for those who speak it from early childhood. The biggest difficulties arise with the stylistic combination of words, spelling and, of course, punctuation. Many rules are complex in that they have many nuances and exceptions. For example, a comma before the conjunction "or". This article will be devoted to a detailed analysis of this rule.
Why do we need conjunctions in Russian
This service part of speech performs a syntactic function, providing a link between words in a sentence. Non-union combinations are also possible, but do not convey many important elements of meaning.
The classification of these parts of speech is very extensive. They are simple and compound, single and double, paired and unpaired, etc. According to their function in the sentence, they are divided into two more groups - coordinating and subordinating. And in terms of meaning, they can be divided into more than 15 types, including explanatory, mode of action, goals, connecting, adversative, dividing, and many others. The last of these types we will consider in this article. And let's focus in detail on one of the examples of dividing conjunctions, as well as the rules of its punctuationclearance.
Meaning of union
In terms of meaning, this word conveys division or opposition. Such an alliance is used when the described situation excludes another.
For example, two objects or phenomena are opposed:
She will buy milk or kefir.
The signs of any objects can be separated or opposed:
Either he's brave or he's crazy.
Often actions become the object of opposition:
Open the door or we'll break it down!
Most likely, you have already noticed that in some of the above examples, a comma is placed before the word "or", while in others it is not. What affects it? First of all, the features of the offer itself.
Single union with homogeneous members
In a simple sentence, it often happens that its individual members answer the same question and refer to the same word. It can be two (or more) predicates, definitions, additions, circumstances. Such members of the sentence are called homogeneous.
They can be separated by commas:
A quiet, gentle, melodic sound was heard.
Maybe preceded by a colon:
There were dishes on the table: cups, plates, a kettle.
Also often used unions "and", "a", "but". In some cases, homogeneous members are connected by a divisive union. The meaning of such a sentence is to separate something similar (objects, signs).
Let's look at examples, as before“either” is a comma in such cases, and whether it is at all.
When the weather was fine, they usually went on a picnic or walked around the neighborhood.
He was going to either Paris or London.
Entries can be computer printed or handwritten.
As we can see, a union with a separating function connects different types of homogeneous members of a sentence. Is there a comma before "or" in such cases? No, not.
Single conjunction in a compound sentence
The grammatical basis - subject and predicate - can be present not only in the singular. If a sentence has two (or more) such stems, it calls it complex. Two parts can be connected both in an allied way, and with the help of various unions, including dividing ones. Do I need a comma before "or" in a compound sentence? Consider examples.
Tomorrow we will go to the Petrovs, or they will visit us.
We must act now or it will be too late.
The examples clearly show that a comma before “or” connects parts of a complex sentence (two grammatical bases united by semantic unity). This punctuation mark is always needed between such parts.
Double union ("either…or")
In some sentences, an increased opposition or separation of certain objects, actions, qualities is expressed. This function is carried out by a double dividing union. As, for example, in the saying:
Either hit or miss.
In this case, before "or"a comma is used because a double union is used. You can give an example with a simple sentence that has homogeneous members:
It will either rain or hail.
In the same way, a comma before "or" is necessary if we have a complex sentence:
Either you calm down or I'll leave.
In the latter case, this punctuation mark is required for two reasons:
- type of sentence (complex, two grammatical bases);
- double separation union.
So, is a comma needed before "or" if this conjunction is double? Yes, always. This rule is not affected by accompanying grammatical circumstances.
When a comma is not used
We have de alt with some difficult cases. But a logical question arises: is there always a comma before "or"?
As we have already understood, in a simple sentence this union does not require separation with a punctuation mark. For example:
Food could be good or bad.
What other similar cases are there?
For example, in a complex sentence, when there is a common element that unites all parts.
Look at the clouds: soon it will rain or there will be hail.
Separation is also not required if the constituent elements of a complex sentence are indefinitely personal or impersonal sentences that have the same predicate form. For example:
Wanted to sleep or just got cold.
It was getting dark or getting light - it was hard to tell what time of day it was.
Sometimes there are cases when the unifying factor is intonation. For example, interrogative:
Will it be better to come back tomorrow or postpone until the day after tomorrow?
In the cases described above, there is a certain common element that unites the parts of the sentence. Under these conditions, there is no need for a comma before "or".
And now let's look at other dividing unions. Many of them mean the same as the official part of speech, which became the subject of this article.
Similar in meaning conjunction "or"
This part of speech may well replace the word "either", as it expresses the same meaning: an alternative in the form of two (usually opposite) phenomena, properties or objects. For example:
Will you have tea or coffee?
Don't like being too hot or too cold.
They can wait for you or go themselves.
She spends the summer in the city or in the country.
This union has cases of isolation or non-isolation. This will be discussed in more detail later.
When a comma is placed
The isolation of this union is similar to the rules according to which a comma is placed before the word "or". These cases are:
- double union "either - or";
- complex sentence;
- double title of artwork.
An example can be given for each of these situations:
Either he is stupid or he is pretending (double union).
We must leave early or the bus will leave without us (complex sentence).
"The Golden Key, or the Adventures of Pinocchio" (title of the work).
When a comma is not used
There are also rules governing the punctuation mark in cases with a union that is similar in meaning. It is not required to isolate "or" in the following situations:
- a simple sentence in which homogeneous members are connected by a single union;
- complex sentence with a common element for all constituent parts (sentence member, group of words, intonation).
Example of a sentence suitable for the first case:
Everyone has already gone outside or gone to sleep.
The second situation can be illustrated by the following examples:
Let's bake something for tea: cake, buns or cookies.
Has it become quiet or have we just stopped noticing the noise?
As we can see, disjunctive conjunctions are similar not only in their expressed semantic meaning, but also in their grammatical functions and interaction with punctuation rules.
Other disjunctive conjunctions
In addition to the official part of speech and its double version, which have become the topic of this article, there are a number of similar unions that carry the same meaning. Here they are:
- or;
- otherwise;
- or else;
- either - or;
- not that - not that;
- this – that;
- whether or not;
- or – or.
Examples of sentences with these parts of speech clearly demonstrate that they are quite similar in meaning to each other. Compare:
She will cook fish or chicken.
Leave in a good way, otherwise you will be kicked out.
Be quiet or the baby will wake up.
Either no one is at home, or they don't want to open the door.
Outside the window it's either rain or snow.
He gets in the way of one thing, then another.
Whether you want it or not, it doesn't matter.
He is either very brave or crazy.
We see that the rules for placing commas in separating conjunctions are also very similar.
Conclusions
Comma before "either", "or" and other separating unions is a rather difficult question. Not in all cases it is possible to unambiguously determine whether this punctuation mark is needed here or not.
If it is a simple or complex sentence without any accompanying features, then the solution is more or less clear.
With homogeneous members, the single union "or" is not isolated. The exception is when the union is double.
In a complex sentence, a comma before the separating conjunction is usually required. But certain factors (shared intonation, unifying word or group of words, impersonal and vaguely personal types of sentences) can create exceptions to this rule.
For this reason, it is necessary to carefully analyze the sentence and check the appropriateness of punctuation. In disputable cases, it will be useful to consult the punctuation guide. The classic version of this was written by Professor D. E. Rosenthal.
