Comma with Throwaway Words (Like, You Know, Now, Then)
The Comma
Rulebase Summary
Use a comma after a throwaway word at the beginning of the sentence and before a throwaway word at the end. A throwaway is a word used parenthetically that has no real meaning in the sentence.
Common throwaways include 'like,' 'you know,' 'now,' and 'then.' Note that 'now' and 'then' are only throwaways when they carry no adverbial meaning — when they mean 'at this time' or 'at that time,' they are adverbs and take no punctuation.
When a throwaway is in the middle of the sentence, it is surrounded with commas.
Examples
Q. Now did you go back to the office that same evening?
Q. Now, did you go back to the office that same evening?
'Now' is a throwaway (not meaning 'at this time') — comma after it.
A. We were not like you know concerned about it at that point.
A. We were not, like, you know, concerned about it at that point.
Throwaway words mid-sentence are each surrounded with commas.
Transcript Notes
Distinguish between 'now' and 'then' as adverbs (meaning 'at this time' / 'at that time,' no punctuation) versus as throwaways (no real meaning, take commas). When 'now' and 'then' are used together as throwaways, each takes its own individual commas.
Style Guide References (3)
BGGP
BGGP
BGGP