Commas Colons & Semicolons

1. Commas Colons & Semicolons Jennifer Carnagie Sarah Jagot Andrea Sandles

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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: Quotes • The lawyer kept repeating, “My client can’t be held responsible for that.” • “Don’t tell me he can’t be held responsible,” retortedthe judge.

5. Commas: Enclose Situations • 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 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.

6. 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, butthe 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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!

10. 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: Miceand 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.”

11. 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.

12. 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!

13. The Semicolon A mark of punctuation used to connect independent clauses and indicating a closer relationship between the clauses than a period does.

14. WHY 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.”

17. EXAMPLE “My aunt had many puppies;she loved to play and take care of them.” This is also an independent clause; it could exist without being attached to its predecessor. This is an independent clause, meaning it could stand alone as a complete sentence. DON’T… Use it with conjunctions which are words like and, but, or, nor, for, so, and yet.

18. 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.

19. 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 youwould haveused a comma in this sentence it would have resulted in a comma splice. If youwould have used a period youwould have lost the connection between the two clauses. That is why you use a semicolon.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. Works Cited Ruszkiewicz, John J., Maxine Hairston, and Daniel E. Seward. Scott Foresman Writer. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2008. Print. 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. Inman, Matthew. "The Oatmeal." How To Use a Semicolon. The Oatmeal, 2012. Web. 06 Apr. 2012.