[Grammar] Is it okay to leave out comma before while?

[eggcracker]

Hello.
I saw a sentence which doesn't have comma before which.
Here is the sentence:"That introduces essential clauses while which introduces nonessential clauses."


I think above sentence consists of two independent clauses combined by while like this
: "independent clause(That introduces.....) while independent clause(which+introduces....)"
But, doesn't this sentence need comma(,) in front of while? And does native speaker usually omit comma when combine two independent clauses?

 

[Raymott]

Hello.
I saw a sentence which doesn't have comma before "which".
Here is the sentence:"'That' introduces essential clauses while 'which' introduces nonessential clauses."
Really, you can't write sentences like that without marking the quoted words in some way. It's unfair to your readers, who have to do the work you should have done.


I think above sentence consists of two independent clauses combined by "while" like this
: "independent clause("That" introduces.....) while independent clause(which+introduces....)"
But, doesn't this sentence need comma(,) in front of "while"? And does native speaker usually omit comma when combine two independent clauses?

I think the presence or absence of a comma is the least of the problems with what you've presented.
However, to your question: I'd put a comma there, but it doesn't seem obligatory to me.
"That introduces essential clauses, while which introduces nonessential clauses."