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)

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 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 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.
 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
--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==
-Use a semicolon between items in a series containing internal
+*Use a semicolon between items in a series containing internal
 punctuation.
-between closely related independent clauses not joined with a
+*between closely related independent clauses not joined with a
 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''
--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.