Then, I saw a mouse under my bed

Then, I saw a mouse under my bed.

I often see a comma after "Then". Is it necessary?

Thanks.

If you were telling this as a story out loud, would you pause there?

I would. However, where I live, a comma is used in all sentences.

In that case, use the comma.

Tan Elaine said:

I would. However, where I live, a comma is used in all sentences.

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All sentences? Really?

I am quite liberal with commas, but I would not use one in your sentence about the mouse.

Tan Elaine said:

I would. However, where I live, a comma is used in all sentences.

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Like SoothingDave, I'm pretty liberal with commas too. However, in my opinion, the one in your example sentence is optional. I would expect it to be there if you needed to pause for dramatic effect:

I heard a strange squeaking noise. I checked the cupboards. I checked the drawers. I looked behind the curtains. I checked all the floorboards. Then, I saw the mouse under the bed! Eek. I ran out of the room as fast as my legs would carry me.

If there were no requirement for a dramatic pause, I probably wouldn't even start the sentence with "Then", nor would I use the comma.

I checked the cupboards, the drawers, the curtains and the floorboards and then I saw the mouse under the bed.

Thanks, emsr, for your clear reply with an amusing example.

Maybe it's a BrE/AmE thing, since Tan Elaine is the only native BrE speaker to give an opinion so far.
I agree that sometimes the comma should not be there.

Raymott said:

Maybe it's a BrE/AmE thing, since Tan Elaine is the only native BrE speaker to give an opinion so far.
I agree that sometimes the comma should not be there.

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Thanks, Raymott.

Could you please elaborate? Do you mean Americans use a comma for such sentences, but the British do not.

Tan Elaine said:

Thanks, Raymott.

Could you please elaborate? Do you mean Americans use a comma for such sentences, but the British do not.

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No, I was asking you what the native British do.

Raymott said:

Maybe it's a BrE/AmE thing, since Tan Elaine is the only native BrE speaker to give an opinion so far.

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Are you sure about that, Raymott? ;-)

emsr2d2 said:

Like SoothingDave, I'm pretty liberal with commas too. However, in my opinion, the one in your example sentence is optional. I would expect it to be there if you needed to pause for dramatic effect:

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Maybe I was wearing my cloak of invisibility when I posted that (charliedeut clearly has the magic powers required to see through the cloak!)

emsr2d2 said:

Maybe I was wearing my cloak of invisibility when I posted that (charliedeut clearly has the magic powers required to see through the cloak!)

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Oops, sorry. I don't know how I overlooked you ems.

Raymott said:

Oops, sorry. I don't know how I overlooked you ems.

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like the master Jedi ageing is feels! ;-)