Editing Otherwise: Fresh Approaches to Stories and Settings

Is a comma before ‘as’ ever mandatory? Takeaway: A comma before as hints at a break, which suggests ‘as’ is being used in the sense of ‘because’ A comma before as to mean ‘because’ is not mandatory but can be helpful for clarity BUT: some editors argue that the comma before ‘as’ changes the meaning to ‘because’, despite the lack of editorial consensus on this issue The different meanings of ‘as’ The style guides are quiet on this one, and the Grammar Table’s poll suggested