Rule 1: You can use a comma before “as well” at the end of a sentence to emphasize something you previously said.
However, it is not a requirement.
- Correct: She performed all aspects of her job diligently, and was rewarded for it, as well.
- Correct: She performed all aspects of her job diligently and was rewarded for it as well.
Rule 2: If “as well” starts a non-essential part in the middle of a sentence, you should always use a comma before “as well” and at the end of the clause.
- Correct: Erika, as well as Hannah, is very strict with their students.
- Incorrect: Erika as well as Hannah is very strict with their students.
Rule 3: You should use a comma before “as well” or “as well as” when it is the final part of a list.
- Correct: He is visiting France, Spain, and Italy, as well as the Greek islands.
- Incorrect: He is visiting France, Spain, and Italy as well as the Greek islands.
Rule 4: Do not use a comma when “as well” is essential for the sentence to make sense.
- Correct: He didn’t do as well as we had hoped.
- Incorrect: He didn’t do, as well as we had hoped.
Check the rest of the article to learn more about how to use commas with “as well.”
When to Use a Comma Before “As Well”
Please check Rules 1, 2, and 3 for when you need to insert a comma before “as well.”
Rule 1: Use a comma before “as well” when it is the final part of the sentence.
However, this is not essential, and you can add “as well” to the end of a sentence without a comma before it.
You may do this to emphasize or reinforce something in the sentence, but it is a stylistic choice rather than a grammatical rule.
- They worked hard all summer and enjoyed a great time outdoors, as well.
- He never calls or messages, and he is always borrowing money, as well.
Rule 2: Use a comma before “as well” when it is part of a non-essential clause.
You will know if it is non-essential because if you remove it from the sentence, it still sounds correct.
In this format, it will usually appear in the form “as well as.”
- Harriet, as well as her brother, is a seasoned swimmer.
- The sales department, as well as marketing to an extent, is going to be reorganized.
When you use “as well” in this context, you indicate that the second thing is perhaps less important than the first.
If you want to show that things have equal importance, you should use “and” instead.
Rule 3: Use a comma before “as well” when it is the final part of a list.
This final comma in a list is known as an Oxford comma.
In this format, there is usually an additional “as” after the term, so it becomes “as well as.”
- I need you to buy milk, eggs, and bread, as well as pay the gas bill.
- The police want to question the victim, the man at the scene, as well as his colleagues.
When to Avoid a Comma Before “As Well”
When Rule 4 applies, you shouldn’t use a comma before “as well.”
Rule 4: You shouldn’t use a comma before “as well” when it is an essential part of the sentence.
Therefore, if you remove “as well” and the sentence is incorrect, you should not put a comma.
- Many teachers are educators as well as parents at the same time.
- You might as well give it a try. What’s the worst that can happen?
The term “as well as” can also mean “as good as,” and in this context, you should never use a comma.
- He doesn’t play sports as well as his sister.
- They didn’t do as well as last time.
Conclusion
You can put a comma before “as well” at the end of a sentence to add emphasis, but it is not essential. However, in non-essential clauses, you should put a comma before “as well.” Furthermore, you shouldn’t put a comma when “as well” is an essential part of the sentence.