51
edits
What's the difference between a semicolon and a comma?: Difference between revisions
What's the difference between a semicolon and a comma? (view source)
Revision as of 13:14, 13 July 2006
, 18 years agono edit summary
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
The semicolon is used to seperate major sentence elements of | The semicolon is used to seperate major sentence elements of | ||
equal grammatical rank ( | equal grammatical rank (Hacker 250). The word ''semi'' means half. | ||
The comma is a valuable, useful punctuation device because it separates the structural elements of sentences into manageable segments (OWL at Purdue University). The comma was invented to help readers. | The comma is a valuable, useful punctuation device because it separates the structural elements of sentences into manageable segments (OWL at Purdue University). The comma was invented to help readers. | ||
Without it, sentence parts can collide into one another unexpectedly, causing misreadings | Without it, sentence parts can collide into one another unexpectedly, causing misreadings(Hacker 235). | ||
==The Rules== | |||
To avoid common misuses of the semicolon | ===To avoid common misuses of the semicolon=== | ||
Do not use a semicolon in the following situtations | |||
Do not use a semicolon in the following situtations: | |||
*between a subordinate clause and the rest of the sentence | *between a subordinate clause and the rest of the sentence | ||
*between an apposite and the word it refers to | *between an apposite and the word it refers to | ||
*to introduce a list | *to introduce a list | ||
*between independent clauses joined by ''and, but, or, nor, for, so, or yet'' ( | *between independent clauses joined by ''and, but, or, nor, for, so, or yet'' (Hacker 253). | ||
===To avoid common misuses of the comma=== | |||
Do not use a comma in the following situations: | |||
Do not use a comma in the following situations | |||
*after a coodinating conjunction | *after a coodinating conjunction | ||
*after ''such'' as or ''like'' | *after ''such'' as or ''like'' | ||
| Line 24: | Line 26: | ||
*before a parenthesis | *before a parenthesis | ||
*to set off an indirect (reported) quotation | *to set off an indirect (reported) quotation | ||
*with a question maek or an exclamation point ( | *with a question maek or an exclamation point (Hacker 249). | ||
===To aviod unnecessary commas=== | |||
Do not use a comma in the following situations: | |||
* | * a comma between compound elements that are not independent clauses | ||
* | * use a comma to seperate a verb from its subject or object | ||
* | * use a comma before the first or after the last item in a series | ||
* | * use a comma between cumulative adjectives, between an adjective and a noun, or between an adverb and an adjective | ||
* | * use a comma to set off a concluding adverb clause that is essential to the meaning of the sentence (Hacker 246-248). | ||
==The Usage== | ==The Usage== | ||
=== | |||
===Semicolons=== | |||
*Use a semicolon between items in a series containing internal punctuation | *Use a semicolon between items in a series containing internal punctuation | ||
*between closely related independent clauses not joined with a coordinating | *between closely related independent clauses not joined with a coordinating | ||
conjunction | conjunction | ||
*between independent clauses liked with a transitional expression ( | *between independent clauses liked with a transitional expression (Hacker 251,252). | ||
===commas=== | ===commas=== | ||
*Use a comma between coordinate adjectives not joined by ''and'' | *Use a comma between coordinate adjectives not joined by ''and'' | ||
*before a coordinating conjunction joining independent clauses | *before a coordinating conjunction joining independent clauses | ||
*after an introductory word group | *after an introductory word group | ||
*between all items in a series | *between all items in a series | ||
*use commas to set off nonrestrictive elements | *use commas to set off nonrestrictive elements: | ||
"For camp the children needed sturdy shoes, ''which were expensive.''" | "For camp the children needed sturdy shoes, ''which were expensive.''" | ||
*use a comma to set off transitional and parenthetical expressions, absolute phrases, and contrasted elements | |||
*use a comma to set off transitional and parenthetical expressions,absolute phrases, and contrasted elements | |||
*use commas to set off nouns of direct address, the words ''yes'' and ''no'', interrogative tags, and mild interjections | *use commas to set off nouns of direct address, the words ''yes'' and ''no'', interrogative tags, and mild interjections | ||
*use commas with expressions such as ''he said'' to set off direct quotations | *use commas with expressions such as ''he said'' to set off direct quotations | ||
*use commas with dates, addresses, titles, and numbers | *use commas with dates, addresses, titles, and numbers | ||
*use commas to pervent confusion (Hacker 235-245) | *use commas to pervent confusion (Hacker 235-245). | ||
==Links== | ==Links== | ||