Commas Colons & Semicolons Jennifer Carnagie Sarah Jagot Andrea Sandles
Feb 23, 2016
Commas Colons &
Semicolons Jennifer Carnagie
Sarah JagotAndrea Sandles
The Comma• Commas are needed in
various situations. They are used to separate, enclose, and connect phrases.
• There are many different ways to use commas in each category, so we will focus on the most difficult and the most incorrectly used situations.
Commas: Separating Situations
• In introductory phrases, commas are used to separate the introductory phrase (when it consists of four or more words) from the rest of the sentence.
• Ex: Introductory phrase– Having driven nonstop most of the afternoon, we
decided to spend the night in Tucumcari.– Like a prehistoric monument along I-40, the Cadillac
Ranch outside Amarillo caught our attention.
Commas: Separating Situations (cont.)
• Commas are also used to separate contrasts in sentences. This can occur in the beginning or the end of a sentence.
• Ex: Contrasts– Despite personal
differences, the partners finally agreed to a contract.
– Think not about price when buying a suit, but of quality.
• Commas are used to separate quotes from the rest of the sentence as well.
• Ex: QuotesThe lawyer kept repeating, “My client can’t be held responsible for that.”“Don’t tell me he can’t be held responsible,” retorted the judge.
Commas: Enclose Situations• Commas in enclosed situations
are used to close off nonessential information from the rest of the sentence. The sentence must make sense without the nonessential information.
• Ex:– The police officers, who
had been carefully screened, marched in front.
– The police officers marched in front.
• Tip: A comma is not needed when the information is essential to the sentence and when a clause begins with that.
• Incorrect:The bill, that was passed by the city council, will raise property taxes again.
Correct:The bill that was passed by the city council will raise property taxes again.
Commas: Connecting SituationsCommas in connecting situations are
used to connect ideas together• Commas are needed
before coordinating conjunctions and, or, nor, for, but, yet, and so to form compound sentences.
• Ex: – Stocks have more
long-term growth potential than bonds, but the risk is much higher.
• Commas are used to link items in a series of three or more. The last comma in the series is optional (but it is needed in academic papers).
• Ex:The group plans to travel by plane, by bus, and by canoe.The group plans to travel by plane, by bus and by canoe.
The Colon
A mark of punctuation used after a statement (usually an independent clause)
that introduces a quotation, an explanation, an example, or a series.
Uses of the Colon• After an independent clause that precedes a list.• To separate an explanation, rule, or example from a
preceding independent clause.• After the salutation of a business letter.• In the heading of a business memo.• Between the hour and the minutes when telling the
time.• As part of a title.• In a bibliography between the place of publication and
the name of the publisher.
Examples • A colon can add emphasis to a word or phrase:• As far as I am concerned, there is only one type of
candy bar worth eating: snickers.• Notice the emphasis that the colon puts on the word
“snickers”.
• A colon can introduce an independent clause that amplifies or explains what precedes it:– I don’t like that store: the clothing is awful and
there is often a long line to pay!
More Examples!• A colon can introduce a list. It is often used with
phrases like “as follows” and “the following”– Her paper analyzes three works of literature: Mice
and Men, The Great Gatsby and The Odyssey.• A colon can introduce a long or formal
quotation:– He reminded us of Dr. Seuss’ famous words: “Don’t
cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
Right from Wrong!• It is incorrect to use a colon to separate a verb
from its subject: – INCORRECT: He plays: football, soccer, and baseball.– CORRECT: He plays many sports: football, soccer, and
baseball.• In this case a colon is needed after the independent clause.
• It is incorrect to use a colon to separate a preposition from its objects:– INCORRECT: I am afraid of: airplanes, spiders, and rats.– CORRECT: I am afraid of airplanes, spiders, and rats.
• In this case a colon is not needed.
REMEMBER• The colon is used to indicate that an example
or a list is about to follow. • HOWEVER, the colon should ONLY be used if
the list clarifies or illustrates the phrase preceding the colon.
• You see colons used all around you. When you look at the time or when you’re addressing a formal letter, you are using a colon!
The Semicolon
A mark of punctuation used to connect independent clauses and indicating a closer relationship between the clauses than a period does.
What’s the point of a semicolon?3 uses for the semicolon:
• To join two independent clauses that are closely related.
• To join two independent clauses when the second clause begins with a conjunctive adverb or a transitional phrase (therefore, however, as a result, in fact, etc.)
• To separate items in a series when one or more of the items contain a comma.
WHY
EXAMPLE“The ice cream truck man drove by my house today. *take a breath* He had big hairy knuckles.”• With a semicolon, however, it would sound like
this:• “The ice cream truck man drove by my house
today; he had big hairy knuckles.”
-Basically what we did was eliminate the pause between the two statements without using words
such as and, but, nor, or yet.
HOW• How do I use a semicolon?
If you have two independent clauses, meaning that they can stand alone as their own sentences, it is ok to use a semicolon.
A semicolon can also team up with a transition, often, a conjunctive adverb to connect two sentences close in meaning.
Example
“My father does not approve of his mother cruising around town on a Harley motorcycle; however, Grandma has never cared what anyone thinks.”
EXAMPLE“My aunt had many puppies; she loved to play and take care of them.”
This is an independent clause, meaning it could stand alone as a complete sentence.
This is also an independent clause; it could exist without being attached to its predecessor.
DON’T…Use it with conjunctions which are words like and, but, or, nor, for, so, and yet.
WHEN• Use a semicolon when you want to form a
bond between two statements, typically when they are related to or contrast with one another.
Example“I run everyday; it builds my muscles so that I'll be better conditioned for the race.”
-This relationship between the two is strengthened when using a semicolon.
Internal• Use a semicolon to connect sentences that
contain internal punctuation.Example
“When people agree on something, they’ll often shake hands; this means business.”
-If you would have used a comma in this sentence it would have resulted in a comma splice. If you would have used a period you would have lost the connection between the two clauses. That is why you use a semicolon.
Super• Use a semicolon as a super-comma.
Example“While searching for a good place to get a burger, I traveled to Seattle, Washington; Tokyo, Japan; and London, England.
-Use a semicolon if you need to make a list of items that are separated with a comma. This often occurs when listing locations, names, dates, and descriptions.
REMEMBER!• Keep these three things in mind when you
use a semicolon:• The two main clauses that the semicolon
joins should be closely related in meaning.• Don't capitalize the word that follows the
semicolon unless that word is a proper noun, one that is always capitalized.
• Limit your use of semicolons; you should not scatter them everywhere throughout your writing. Semicolons are like glasses of champagne; save them for special occasions.
Works CitedRuszkiewicz, John J., Maxine Hairston, and Daniel E. Seward. Scott Foresman Writer. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2008. Print.
Inman, Matthew. "The Oatmeal." How To Use a Semicolon. The Oatmeal, 2012. Web. 06 Apr. 2012.
Dignan, Jennifer. "Pause for Punctuation: THE SEMICOLON AND THE COLON. " Literary Cavalcade 1 Apr. 2005: Research Library, ProQuest. Web. 7 Apr. 2012.
"Section IV-Punctuation: Capitalization, the Colon vs. the Semicolon, the Hyphen and the Dash. " Literary Cavalcade 1 Jan. 2004: Research Library, ProQuest. Web. 7 Apr. 2012.