At the beginning of a sentence, a comma after “please” is generally unnecessary. At the end of a sentence, we usually need a comma before “please”.

At the beginning of a sentence, a comma after “please” is generally unnecessary.

Please be quiet.

Please can I go to Patricia’s house?

But we can use it to sound impatient, irritated, or annoyed.

Please, can you stop doing that?

At the end of a sentence, we usually need a comma before “please”.

Sit down, please.

1. ‘Please’ at the Start of a Sentence

We do not normally put a comma after “please” at the beginning of a sentence.

Please restart your computer to install important updates.

Please provide detailed information on the financial implications of this project.

But there are two main exceptions to this convention:

1.) Add a comma to express impatience, irritation or annoyance.

Please, can you stop sneezing on everyone?

2.) Place a comma to separate two instances of the same word for emphasis.

Please, please, please come home with me.

2. Commas in the Middle of a Sentence

In the middle of a sentence, a comma before or after “please” is often unnecessary.

Can you please stop eating ice cream?

We can also use it to make polite requests.

Can you please help me with this?

You can enclose “please” between commas to add emphasis. Be aware, however, that it may sound as if you are annoyed or impatient.

Can you, please, stop making that noise?

Use also commas if you think that what someone has just said is not reasonable or possible.

Oh, please, she’d never go there.

There are particular sentence constructions where you may need a comma before “please” even if you are not irritated, impatient, or having reservations. For example, use a comma to introduce a new clause after a dependent clause.

If you drink alcohol, please, do not drive your vehicle.

When following a coordinating conjunction, such as and or but, you can optionally add a comma after “please” to add emphasis or interrupt the sentence flow.

Work hard, play hard, and please, be true to yourself.

Listen to what others have to say, but please, express your own thoughts.

3. At the End of a Sentence

When using it as an adverb or an interjection, put a comma before “please” at the end of a sentence.

Let me do it, please.

Can I have some more coffee, please?

Pass me the salt, please.

“Please” can also be used to politely accept something that someone offers you.

Would you like a cup of tea? Yes, please.

But avoid the comma when using “please” as a verb.

When you finish washing and putting away the dishes, you can do whatever you please.