What's the difference between a semicolon and a comma?: Difference between revisions

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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''  (Hacker253)
*between independent clauses joined by ''and, but, or, nor, for, so, or yet''  (Hacker253)


To avoid common misuses of the comma.
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''
-before ''than''
*before ''than''
-after ''although''
*after ''although''
-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 (Hacker249)
*with a question maek or an exclamation point (Hacker249)


To aviod unnecessary commas
To aviod unnecessary commas
-do not use a comma between compound elements that are not independent clauses
*do not use a comma between compound elements that are not independent clauses
-do not use a comma to seperate a verb from its subject or object
*do not use a comma to seperate a verb from its subject or object
-do not use a comma before the first or after the last item in a series
*do not use a comma before the first or after the last item in a series
-do not use a comma between cumulative adjectives, between an adjective and a noun, or between an adverb and an adjective
*do not use a comma between cumulative adjectives, between an adjective and a noun, or between an adverb and an adjective
-do not use a comma to set off a concluding adverb clause that is essential to the meaning of the sentence (Hacker246-248)
*do not use a comma to set off a concluding adverb clause that is essential to the meaning of the sentence (Hacker246-248)


==The Usage==
==The Usage==
Use a semicolon between items in a series containing internal
*Use a semicolon between items in a series containing internal
punctuation.
punctuation.
between closely related independent clauses not joined with a  
*between closely related independent clauses not joined with a  
coordinating conjunction
coordinating conjunction
between independent clauses liked with a transitional expression (Hacker251,252)
*between independent clauses liked with a transitional expression (Hacker251,252)
   
   
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
 
Just like semicolons commas seperate items in a series, except the comma is only keeping the words from colliding.
An example of the use of commas is: Kim bought rice, corn, and grits at the store.
Another example is in the date and year: Today is July 10, 2006.
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