One of the most common in high school is the comma before "what", "how" and in other words in structures that are connected with them. This happens, some authors of school textbooks call all constructions with these words a comparative phrase.

In fact "How" can act as a conjunction or particle. And such a construction is not always a comparative turnover. In some cases it is a circumstance.

The design acts as:

• Predicate: The whole world is like an exciting adventure.
• Definitions or applications: The crocodile, as a rare animal, is listed in the Red Book.
• Comparative turnover or circumstances: Life seethed like a waterfall of passions.
• Introductory design: I decided to change my shirt, or chemise, as my mother would say.
• Subordinate part: Living in the countryside is as difficult as describing the smell of freshly cut grass in words..

Difference and other combinations

Comma before "How" is placed in the following cases:

1) If the combination means exclusively likening, i.e. it means "like" and no longer has any other meanings. This construction is called a comparative phrase and acts as a circumstance in a sentence. For example: Vasily, like a hero, defended his friend. But it is necessary to pay attention to the point that the comparative phrase is not separated by commas if it is in the middle of the sentence. In this case, the part of the sentence to which this construction relates is emphasized. For example: At the ball, Anna, in love like a passionate girl, looked into the eyes of her chosen one. In this sentence, comparative turnover is not separated from "lover" a comma only because these words have a semantic connection. If there is a comma before the word "How", then it will come out “looked like a passionate lioness”, but the sentence has a completely different meaning.

2) If the combination is used together with the conjunction “and”. This construction is also called a comparative phrase and acts as a circumstance in a sentence: Peter, like everyone else in the class, treated me well.

Applications

In order to prevent another mistake, it is necessary to decide which member of the sentence the combination we are interested in is and what words it is associated with:

1) In the case when used before a combination of words “so”, “that”, “such”, “so” and many others. Such constructions are applications, and in a sentence they act as a definition. For example: He usually did not watch films such as horror or thrillers.

2) The combination has the meaning of causality. Usually it is an application, and in a sentence it acts as a definition. For example: The doctor, as a good specialist, paid a lot of attention to sick patients. This sentence shows the reason in combination "good specialist". The doctor paid a lot of attention to sick patients because he was a good specialist. But do not confuse the application with comparative turnover. A comparative phrase is the likening of one object to another. And an application is when an object is called completely differently .

3) The conjunction is part of the expression "nothing else"; "no one else". For example: This event is nothing more than a pre-planned action. The construction given in this sentence is a nominal compound predicate. And we see that this member of the sentence is separated by a comma.

Introductory structures

In some sentences, combinations are not members of the sentence, but appear. They must be separated with commas on both sides.

1) The conjunction is combined with the following words: “now”, “now”, “before”, “always”, “usually”, “exception”, “rule”, “on purpose” and others. These combinations act as introductory words that are not any members of the sentence. For example: As if on purpose, they were in no hurry to go home.

2) The conjunction is part of the introductory sentence. For example: As Katerina correctly noted, the road was especially difficult. This sentence is simple, despite the presence of two grammatical stems. It’s just complicated by the introductory structure. In this case, the construction that contains this conjunction is an introductory sentence. The narrator names the source of the information. The combination is separated by commas.

Comparative phrase and incomplete subordinate clause

Before deciding whether a comma is needed before "How", you need to understand exactly what the difference is between a comparative clause and an incomplete subordinate clause. It can be seen in the following example: Nowhere have I felt as good as at home. In this case, the second part is an incomplete subordinate clause. Also, do not confuse the subordinate clause, which is a one-part sentence, with a comparative phrase: Write stories like thisIt’s as difficult as describing the sound of music in words. The second part is a one-part impersonal

Connection with the predicate

There are many examples when a comma comes before "How" not put:

1) The combination is part of the predicate: Time flew by very quickly, the day felt like one hour. The comparative particle is part of the predicate and is emphasized along with it.

2) The word has a semantic connection with the predicate: The meeting flew by in a flash that I didn’t even have time to come to my senses. In this case, the comma before "How" is not placed because the entire combination with it is a predicate, and the word itself is a comparative particle. Without it, the predicate would lose its true meaning. This award was like a gift from above. This combination also acts as a predicate, because without it the sentence completely loses its meaning. And a comma before "How" that is why it is not installed.

Persistent expressions

Comma before conjunction "How" is not placed if it is part of There are a great many such examples. After the meeting, we gained confidence in the future, because everything went like clockwork. In this case, the combination is part of a compound predicate, which in this sentence is expressed by a phraseological unit. Life should be valued and cherished like the apple of your eye. The combination is also part of a predicate, which is a persistent expression. That is why the use of different ones is unacceptable here.

A few more features of the use of punctuation marks...

To make the right decision, before "How" whether a comma is needed or not, you need to pay attention to some more nuances. Is there a particle in front of this word? "Not" or these words: “simple”, “exactly”, “exactly”, “absolutely” or "almost". If they are used, then there is no need to put a comma. In this case, such a construction will be called a comparative phrase, and in the sentence it will act as a circumstance. For example: Nikolai always behaved with dignity, he acted exactly like a real man. If the combination means "in role", then the comma is also omitted: He spoke at the meeting as a mathematics teacher. This sentence means that the person acted as a mathematics teacher. In fact, he may not be one.

We see that there are quite a few nuances in the use of the comma. You need to pay special attention to them, and then you can easily and simply avoid serious mistakes.

To put or not to put a comma before a conjunction? It seems like a simple question. Since school days, we have learned that a comma is used if this conjunction is part of a comparative phrase. Is this statement really true? Or does this rule have exceptions? If they exist, what are they? In order not to get into an awkward situation because of commas, let's figure out when they really need to be placed before this conjunction, and at what moments it is not necessary to do this at all.

In what situations is a comma used?

At first let's look at simpler examples when you need to put a punctuation mark before a conjunction. It is not difficult to remember them, they are quite simple, and there are few such cases.

1. If a conjunction joins together separate fragments of a complex sentence, then a comma is used. It’s easy to learn and remember, because in such cases you simply cannot do without a punctuation mark. For example: We recalled with pleasure how our class visited the zoo several years ago.
2. If the conjunction is an integral part of the introductory words in a sentence, then we must also put a comma. There are few such phrases in the Russian language, but they are often used in colloquial speech. For example: I was late for school today, as always.
3. If a conjunction is used in a comparative phrase, it is separated by a comma on both sides. It is not difficult to recognize such phrases. They have the meaning “like” and it is impossible to choose any other meanings without changing the meaning of the sentence. For example: His eyes are as blue as the sky on a clear day.

Another interesting point should be noted here, if such the phrase is in the middle of the sentence, then it should not be separated by commas. In this sentence, the entire construction that fits the meaning is isolated. For example: In the room, Vadim, angry as hell, paced the room. In this case, the definition of evil is added to the comparative phrase.

This emphasis is made because this part of the sentence has indivisible semantic connection. If we do not put the punctuation mark this way, then we will understand this part of the text differently. The presence of the word and in this situation does not change this rule. This part of the sentence remains a comparative phrase and acts as a circumstance. Consequently, such a part, together with the word, is distinguished by a punctuation mark.

For example: At school, like all children, they treat me well.

4. If the above comparative phrase is in the middle of the sentence, then it is separated by commas on both sides: at the beginning and at the end of this construction. For example: In this case it wouldIt was hot as an oven that day.

Is a comma necessary?

Now let's look at situations where punctuation is not required. With them there is often confusion, although there is nothing complicated here. If you understand these points, you will not have any special difficulties. By the way, such cases when a comma is not needed are also rare in the Russian language, so you won’t need to remember a large amount of information.

1. If the conjunction is between the subject and the predicate, and a dash can be put in its place, then a comma is not needed here. The meaning of the phrase should not change. For example: He's like a hawk.
2. If this union is part of a phraseological unit. Let us recall that this concept in the Russian language includes indivisible linguistic stable phrases. For example: The brothers were as different as heaven and earth.
3. If the conjunction in the continuation denotes a circumstance of the manner of action, then a comma is not placed before it. For example: The flag fluttered like a bird. In these situations, a phrase with a conjunction can be replaced with an adverb ( bird style) or use a noun in the instrumental case ( bird). Often this is the moment that people have the most doubts about. Sometimes it can be very difficult to distinguish a comparison from a circumstance of a course of action.
4. When a phrase with a conjunction is an indivisible part of the predicate. Here, a sentence without it will not have the desired meaning. In such cases, a comma is not used. For example: The girl turned red as a tomato.
5. If the conjunction is preceded by the words: completely, completely, almost, exactly, like, simply, exactly, and also the particle not, then a comma is not placed in front of it. This is a simple rule, but it is often forgotten. For example: They did not look at each other as friends.

Compound conjunctions and the word like

​Sometimes the word as is part of a compound union or turnover, for example: as and so on. Of course, they don’t put a comma here, because in such cases this word is not a conjunction. For example: Since he appeared, silence has disappeared. The above rules and examples for them, when a comma is placed or not placed in sentences, will help you not make mistakes when writing texts. A person’s literacy is always in his own hands, so a lot depends on attentiveness and knowledge.

You already know that union– this is an auxiliary part of speech, with the help of which a connection is drawn up between parts of sentences, individual sentences in a text, or between words as part of a simple sentence.

Union"HOW"very often requires the isolation of different syntactic structures.

To understand when to put a comma before a conjunction " HOW", and when not, look at the following examples.

Comma before conjunction "HOW" is put

1. Commas highlight or separate phrases beginning with a conjunction"HOW"

1) if they denote assimilation , without other shades of meaning (" HOW" has the meaning " like»).

For example: Below it is the Caucasus , like the edge of a diamond, shone with eternal snow. Her voice rang , like a bell. Her green eyes sparkled , like gooseberries. And he saw himself rich , like in a dream. (Krylov) His hands were shaking , like mercury. (Gogol) The air is clean and fresh , like kissing a child...(Lermontov) Like a seagull , the sail there is white in height.

Comparative phrases in our language not only convey similarities or differences, but also give beauty and expressiveness to the language.

The punctuation rule about the comparative phrase is not so complicated: it is always separated by commas on both sides.

For example: At the bottom , like a mirror , the water glistened. Around the tall brow , like clouds , the curls turn black. (Pushkin) Below , like a steel mirror, The lake streams turn blue. (Tyutchev) Sparkled brightly in the sky , like a living eye , first star. (Goncharov) Anchar , like a menacing sentry, stands alone in the entire universe (A.S. Pushkin).

What are the difficulties and where do the mistakes come from?

First difficulty- insufficiently thoughtful attitude to the text. If you do not understand that the sentence is comparing something with something else, you will not notice the comparative phrase. Here's a simple conclusion: always try to understand the text you are writing down.

Second difficulty is that among comparisons there are syntactic “dwarfs” and syntactic “giants”. This is what “dwarf” comparisons can look like; they can be accidentally overlooked.

For example: I myself , like a beast , was alien to people and crawled and hid , like a snake(M. Yu. Lermontov).

And here’s what “giants” comparisons might look like: In front of them , like ocean waves petrified during a storm, mountain ranges stretched out.

What kind of trouble can be caused with such a proposal?

First, just forget to close the turn with a comma. This misfortune happens with all common phrases: having “caught” its beginning, many do not retain it in memory until the end - and then goodbye, second comma!

Secondly, without thinking about the meaning of the phrase, cut the “giant”, hastening to put a comma ahead of time, for example after the word petrified, and thereby turn the sentence into complete nonsense.

2) If there is an indicative word in the main part of the sentence so, so, so, so.

For example: The Lyceum gave Russia such people , like Pushkin, Pushchin, Delvig. The coachman was equally amazed at his generosity , like the Frenchman himself from Dubrovsky’s proposal. (Pushkin) Nowhere else at a mutual meeting do they bow so nobly and naturally , like on Nevsky Prospekt. (Gogol) His facial features were the same , just like my sister. (L. Tolstoy) Laevsky is certainly harmful and just as dangerous to society , like a cholera microbe... (Chekhov) Everything around is somehow churchy, and the smell of oil is as strong as in a church. (Bitter)

3) If the turnover begins with the combination like.

For example: Trees , just like people , have their own destiny. To Moscow , like the whole country, I feel my sonhood , like an old nanny(Paustovsky). In her eyes , as well as throughout the face, there was something unusual. Just like at last year's competitions, the athletes of the Russian Federation were ahead;

4) If union "HOW" included in the introductory sentence . The following expressions are most often used as introductory sentences:

As I remember now, how they spoke, how we learned, how some people think, as well as combinations like now, as one, as a rule, as an exception, as usual, as always, as before, as now, as now, as on purpose and so on.

For example: It was , as you can guess, our heroine. Residents of the house are all , as one , poured out into the yard. I see , as it is now , the owner himself... (Pushkin) Classes have begun , as usual , at nine o'clock in the morning. I remember , like now , my first teacher at school. How on purpose , there was not a penny in my pocket. Commas , usually , participial phrases are highlighted. Spartakiad , as usual , takes place in the summer.

But! The indicated combinations are not separated by commas if they are part of the predicate or are closely related to it in meaning.

For example: Classes start as usual. Snowfalls occur in December as a rule (=usually). Yesterday went as usual(i.e. as usual);

5) in revolutions none other than and none other than; the same as and the same as.

For example: Rhine Falls in front nothing else , How low water ledge (Zhukovsky). But in front of her was none other , How traveling Aigle, a famous collector of legends, fairy tales, traditions. It was none other , How Rylov.

2. If the application is with a union"HOW"has the meaning of causality, it is separated by commas.

For example: Like a true Frenchman, Triquet brought a verse to Tatyana (A.S. Pushkin) in his pocket. Why did he bring the verse to Tatyana? - like a true Frenchman.

If the application has no additional values, it is separated by a comma.

For example: Such a tool , like a screwdriver , always useful on the farm. Neither one nor the other question can be raised here.

3. In a complex sentence, when attaching a subordinate clause:"HOW"acts as a subordinating conjunction and connects the subordinate clause with the main one.

For example: He sees , like a field father cleans up. Love jumped out in front of us , like it jumps out of the ground murderer, and amazed us both at once. I looked for a long time , how the candle burns.

(Reminder: how to distinguish a complex sentence from a complex sentence? In a complex sentence, you can ask a question from one part of the sentence to another. Using the example above: " I looked for a long time- for what? - how the candle burns". In complex sentences, the parts are equal).

Comma before conjunction"HOW" not placed

1. Turnovers with a union"HOW"are not separated by commas

1) If the meaning of the circumstance of the course of action comes to the fore in circulation (to the question How?); Usually such phrases can be replaced by the instrumental case of a noun or an adverb.

For example: Buckshot rained down like hail.(Lermontov) (Compare: rained down like hail .) Dreams disappeared like smoke. (Lermontov) Like a demon is insidious and evil(Lermontov) (Compare: demonically insidious.)

The ring burns like heat.(Nekrasov) In anger, he thundered like thunder and sparkled like steel. The horse flies like a snowstorm, like a blizzard hurries. They flared like lightning in the sky, like fiery rain fell from the sky.

2) If the main meaning of the phrase is equating or identifying.

For example: …You loved me as property, as a source of joy, worries and sorrows...(Lermontov) (Compare: ...loved me, considering me his property.) …He[Judas] handed over his stone as the only one what he could give(Saltykov-Shchedrin);

3) If union "HOW"has the meaning "as" or turnover with the union "HOW" (application) characterizes an object from any one aspect.

For example: Rich, good-looking, Lensky was accepted everywhere as a groom. (Pushkin) I speak like a writer. (Gorky) My ignorance of the language and silence was interpreted as diplomatic silence. (Mayakovsky) We know India as a country of ancient culture. The public appreciated the early Chekhov as a subtle humorist. We know Lermontov more as a poet and prose writer and less as a playwright. I will keep this letter as a memory. Yuri Gagarin made history as the world's first astronaut. The environmental issue arises as the main question of today.

4) If the turnover forms the nominal part of the compound predicate or the meaning is closely related to the predicate (usually in these cases the predicate does not have a complete meaning without a comparative phrase).

For example: Some are like emerald, others are like coral. (Krylov) She herself walked like wild. (Goncharov) I became like a child in soul. (Turgenev) Father and mother are like strangers to her. (Dobrolyubov) I watched how. (Arsenyev)

She behaves like a mistress.(If we take the predicate “ holds on» without turnover « like a mistress", then it turns out " she's holding on", and you might think that she is holding on to something.)

Compare also: feel as if in one’s own element, behave as if insane, understand as a hint, perceive as praise, recognize as danger, look at as a child, greet as a friend, evaluate as an achievement, consider as an exception, take for granted, present as a fact, qualify as a violation of the law, note as a great success, interest as a novelty, put forward as a project, justify as a theory, accept as inevitable, develop as a tradition, express as a proposal, interpret as a reluctance to take part, define as a case of a separate application, characterize as a type, stand out as talent, formalize as an official document, be used as a phraseological figure, sound like a call, enter as an integral part, appear as a representative, feel like a foreign body, exist as an independent organization, arise as something unexpected, develop as a progressive idea, carry out as an urgent task and so on.;

5) If comparative phrase is preceded by negation Not or words completely, completely, almost, like, exactly, exactly, directly, simply and so on.

For example: I cultivated in myself this feeling of holiday not as rest and simply a means for further struggle, but as a desired goal, the completion of the highest creativity of life. (Prishvin) It was almost as bright as day. Children sometimes think just like adults. The girl's hair curls exactly like her mother's. The newspaper was not published as always. He just like a child.

6) If turnover has the character of a stable combination .

We have come to the most interesting case - phraseological units. Our speech is permeated with phraseological units. These are stable phrases, colored with irony, cunning, and slyness.

For example: I need a fifth leg like a dog, it will help like a poultice for a dead person.

Phraseologisms bring into our speech not only imagery, but also mischief and a smile. And what is very important is that they do not require a comma before the conjunction" HOW"!

For example: He's everywhere felt at home. Brother and sister similar as two peas in a pod. At the lion's It was like a mountain had been lifted off my shoulders.(Krylov) Tell the doctor to bandage his wound and took care of him like the apple of his eye. (Pushkin) The young couple were happy, and their life flowed like clockwork. (Chekhov)

There are no strict grammatical rules to help distinguish phraseological units from ordinary comparative phrases. You just need to be able to “recognize when you meet” as many phraseological units as possible.

Among the stable phrases that are not separated by commas, there are also “dwarfs”: works like an ox(or like a horse), tired or hungry as a dog, stupid as a plug, white as a harrier, mad, crazy, rooted to the spot and so on. There is no comma before " HOW"in combinations no how no And right here. A phrase of impressive size is not separated by commas either. as if nothing had happened.

Compare also: white as a harrier, white as a sheet, white as snow, pale as death, shines like a mirror, the disease vanished as if by hand, feared like fire, wanders like a restless person, rushed like crazy, mumbles like a sexton, ran in like crazy, spins like a squirrel in a wheel , squeals like a pig, I see like in the daytime, everything is as if on selection, jumped up as if stung, looked like a wolf, stupid as a cork, naked like a falcon, hungry like a wolf, as far as the sky from the earth, trembling as if in a fever, trembling like an aspen leaf, he's like water off a duck's back, waiting like manna from heaven, fell asleep like the dead, healthy as an ox, knows like the back of his hand, walks along like a man sewn, rolled like cheese in butter, sways like a drunk, swayed like jelly, red as a lobster, strong like an oak tree, screams like a catechumen, flies like an arrow, beats like Sidorov's goat, bald as a knee, pours like a bucket, waves his arms like a mill, rushes about like a madman, wet like a mouse, gloomy like a cloud, people like herrings in a barrel, not to be seen like your ears, dumb as a grave, running around like crazy, needed like air, stopped dead in your tracks, remained like a stranded lobster, sharp as a razor, different as heaven from earth, turned white as a sheet, repeated as if in delirium, you'll go like a dear, remember what was the name, hit like a butt on the head, looked like two peas in a pod, sank like a stone, loyal like a dog, stuck like a bath leaf, fell through the ground, disappeared as if sank into water, just like a knife to the heart, burned like in fire, dissipated like smoke, grew like mushrooms after rain, fell out of the blue, fresh as blood and milk, fresh as a cucumber, sat as if on needles, sat as if on coals, sat as if chained, listened as if spellbound, watched as enchanted, slept like the dead, slender like a cypress, hard as a stone, dark as night, skinny like a skeleton, cowardly like a hare, died like a hero, fell like a man knocked down, rested like a ram, stubborn like a donkey, tired like a dog, whipped like a bucket, walked like being submerged in water, cold as ice, black as hell, feeling at home, staggering like a drunk, walking as if to execution and so on.

2. In addition, the word "HOW" can be part of a compound union both... and... or because, as well as revolutions since, since, as much as possible, as little as possible or more. In such cases, a comma is placed either before " HOW", or before the whole complex union.

For example: He has excellent grades in both Russian and mathematics. This topic is touched upon in both poetry and prose. Both children and adults love fairy tales. Avoid empty speeches, as their outcome is repentance.

He finished the story as they reached the place. Larisa worked in a hairdresser while Ivan was finishing college.

Since the eternal judge
He gave me the omniscience of a prophet,
I read in people's eyes
Pages of malice and vice.
(M. Yu. Lermontov)

3. In a complex sentence with homogeneous subordinate clauses after coordinating conjunctions.

For example: It’s nice to listen in a warm room to how angry the wind is and how the taiga groans.

4. Union"HOW" can be present in a sentence without adding any semantic-syntactic block, but only as a means of expressiveness of speech.

For example: We have worked hard; I tried not to be separated from my friends as long as possible; The weight of the luggage seemed to lessen; I was just about to go to the skating rink and so on.

Since the participial phrase is a separate circumstance, most often in a sentence it is separated on both sides by commas. However, there are exceptions to this rule. This article describes in detail all the nuances of using the participial phrase.

How is the adverbial phrase marked in writing?

Participial turnover is a participle with dependent words. In a sentence, it expresses the meaning of an additional action and plays the syntactic role of a separate circumstance. As a rule, in sentences with participial phrases, commas distinguish a separate speech structure on both sides.

Features of the use of participial phrases:

• At the beginning of the sentence, the adverbial phrase is separated by only one comma - at the end of the phrase. In addition, it must be taken into account that the participial phrase before the word being defined (the verb to which it refers) usually names the action that preceded the action called the verb.

  Examples: Having solved the problem, I'll go for a walk. Picking apples, grandma made jam.

• At the end of the sentence, the adverbial phrase is separated by a comma only at the beginning of the phrase. A participial phrase after a predicate verb usually indicates a simultaneous or subsequent action.

  Examples: I was drinking tea, admiring the dawn. He fell, sprained my leg.

• In the middle of a sentence, the participial phrase is highlighted by commas on both sides and can be used both before and after the predicate verb.

  Examples: Kate, having prepared breakfast, set the table. The man was riding on the bus listening to music, and remembered yesterday's conversation.

In what cases is the adverbial phrase not separated by commas?

The participial phrase without commas is used in the following cases.

Should I put a comma before the word "according to"?

In the phrase act according to the rules the word according to is a derived adverbial pretext, which, together with the noun rules, depends on the verb. In such cases we have a syntactic construction:

verb + noun in the dative case with a preposition.

In such a situation, a noun with a preposition is not a phrase and there is no need to separate it.

How to act? according to the rules - a circumstance of the manner of action, an ordinary member of a sentence.

According to the instructions, we will complete this work on time.

The train will depart according to the schedule.

It’s a different matter when the combination of nouns with a preposition according to is widespread And is before the predicate, For example:

The director, in accordance with the directive of the ministry, issued an order for additional inspection of lower-level units.

Issued the order for what reason? according to the directive of the ministry.

This circumstance has causal meaning and is separated by commas.

The word according to can be a short predicate adjective:

Your consciousness agrees with this statement.

The adverb according also does not require commas:

She nodded her head in agreement.

Yes, a comma is needed. But not always. Let's look at this problem in more detail.

Before thinking about whether we should put a comma in front of this or that word, we must understand what kind of word it is? What part of speech? What role does it play in the sentence?

For example:

1. In accordance with the instructions of our superiors, we have undergone some changes in our work. In this sentence, according acts as a preposition, synonymous with or in accordance with. A small construction has been formed in the sentence, which is similar in meaning to an adverbial phrase. Let's compare: We, seeing the instructions, changed our work. Is very similar. Therefore, we separated this explanatory construction, consisting of according to and what exactly according to, with commas on both sides. This is how you should do it in most cases.
2. This creature seemed to agree with us. And there is no comma here. Because according to already looks like a short neuter adjective. No separation required.

• This is how I would answer this question about the comma.

  As far as I know, in this particular case, there is no need to put a comma before the word according to, a comma is not required here.

  The phrase: Act according to the rules is pronounced and written directly - without a comma.

  In this sentence, a comma is NOT NEEDED, because there is no separate construction.

  If, according to the rules, it was at the beginning of the sentence, and after the verb to act there would be an explanation of how exactly to act, then a comma before the verb (which would act as a grammatical subject, a rare case...) would be needed. If there was some kind of explanation here - how exactly to act - even after the revolution according to the rules, then again a comma would be needed. Like, acting according to the rules had to be done slowly and sadly.

  But in this sentence it is the rules that refer to acting. There is no separation. Therefore, a comma is not needed.

  There are a lot of punctuation rules in the Russian language. Speech figures with the word agree are usually written without a comma. According to - is an incidental semantic explanation, and it cannot be removed from the sentence. In most cases, the adverb according to is replaced by the preposition by. In these cases, a comma is used. But this is not in all cases, it all depends on the meaning of the sentence.

  In the sentence you gave as an example, a comma before the word ACCORDING is not needed, since it can be replaced by the preposition ON.

  In your example, the comma is not needed. A comma is placed before the word according to in rare cases. In such as complexly composed sentences, an introductory word or construction. If you have a good feel for the language, you can trust your intuition.

  In most cases, a comma is placed before the word agree. When a word is a preposition, a synonym is put accordingly. It is not used when the word is a short adjective (neuter gender) - in this case, separation is not necessary.

  If the sentence is affirmative, then we put a comma; if something is being specified, then we don’t put it.

  In the sentence given in the question, a comma is not needed.

  It should be noted that the word according to is rarely highlighted with commas. In the above sentence, the word according can be replaced by the preposition 2o, as a result of which it is clearly clear that a comma is not needed.

  According to and other similar phrases are separated by commas if we need to clearly indicate their boundaries in a sentence. They are not isolated when the phrase is either closely related to the predicate (if we remove the phrase from the text, the meaning of the sentence will change significantly) or is part of it.

  In other cases, separation by commas will be optional, depending on what goal the author was pursuing and what he wanted to say with his sentence.

  In this case, a comma is not needed, because the structure is solid. Thus, if we exclude the word according, the meaning of the sentence will be lost.