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

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-Lakeisha Williams
+==What's the difference between a semicolon and a comma?==
-Dr. Lucas
-English 1101
+The semicolon is used to seperate major sentence elements of
-July 10, 2006
+equal grammatical rank (Hacker250). The word ''semi'' means half.
-                     ==The Difference Between a Semicolon and a Comma===
+The comma is used to show a pause in the reading. The comma was invented to help readers.
+Without it, sentence parts can collide into one another unexpectedly, causing misreadings.(Hacker235)
+===The Rules===
-The number one difference in semicolons is the fact it is outside quotations and
+To avoid common misuses of the semicolon.
+Do not use a semicolon in the following situtations.
+-between a subordinate clause and the rest of the sentence
+-between an apposite and the word it refers to
+-to introduce a list
+-between independent clauses joined by ''and, but, or, nor, for, so, or yet''  (Hacker253)
-commas are inside quotations. "The semicolon is used to seperate major sentence elements of
+To avoid common misuses of the comma.
+Do not use a comma in the following situations.
+-after a coodinating conjunction
+-after ''such'' as or ''like''
+-before ''than''
+-after ''although''
+-before a parenthesis
+-to set off an indirect (reported) quotation
+-with a question maek or an exclamation point (Hacker249)
-equal grammatical rank; Use a semicolon between items in a series containing internal
+To aviod unnecessary commas
+-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 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 to set off a concluding adverb clause that is essential to the meaning of the sentence (Hacker246-248)
-punctuation, between closely related independent clauses not joined with a
+==The Usage==
+Use a semicolon between items in a series containing internal
+punctuation.
+between closely related independent clauses not joined with a
+coordinating conjunction
+between independent clauses liked with a transitional expression (Hacker251,252)
+Use a comma between coordinate adjectives not joined by ''and''
+-before a coordinating conjunction joining independent clauses
+-after an introductory word group
+-between all items in a series
-coordinating conjunction, and between independent clauses liked with a transitional expression."
+Just like semicolons commas seperate items in a series, except the comma is only keeping the words from colliding.
-"When related independent clauses appear in one sentence, they are ordinarily connected with a
+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.
-comma and a [[coordinating conjunction]] (and, but, or, for, so, yet). The conjunction expresses
-the relationship between the clauses" ( Hacker 251).
-An example is :"In 1800, a traveler needed six weeks to get from New York City to Chicago; in
-, the trip by railroad took two days" (Hacker 251).
-- H.L. Mencken stated "Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is justice" (HACKER 251).
-A comma is the most used punctuation. A comma help readers to understand to pause in between
-their reading. "Use a comma between coordinate adjectives not joined by ''and''. "Do not use a
-comma between cumulative adjectives" (Hacker 238). 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. "A comma is used to set off nonrestrictive elements. Do not use
-commas to set off restrictive elements. Restrictive is: For camp the children needed clothes
-''that were washable''. Nonrestrictive is: For camp the children needed sturdy shoes, ''which''
-''were expensive''" (Hacker 239).