So You wanna Use a comma? Don’t forget those semi-colons; they make things semi-interesting!

1. So You wanna Use a comma?Don’t forget those semi-colons; they make things semi-interesting! A Grammar Lesson That Will Change Your Life

2. The confusing, ever-complicated comma… • Hey, did you know that you can use commas after introductory words and phrases? • It’s like they combine things, but they really do. • You can use them with conjunctions, lists, and even to get into Oxford! (You see that pun?)

3. But what if you want to use a semi-colon? • It’s only semi-complicated; you just throw them in-between related sentences in place of a conjunction. • Or… you can use them in lists with phrases where commas might need a little help. • For example: As they began their journey, they stopped in Boston, Massachusetts; Atlanta, Georgia; and San Diego California.

4. So how does this relate to figurative language we’ve been working on? • Let’s create a metaphor… • The stars were tiny needles. • Now let’s expand on that metaphor… • The stars poked holes in the nighttime sky. • How can we possibly use a comma or semi-colon to combine these two ideas? • The stars were tiny needles; they poked holes in the nighttime sky.

5. Let’s make more interesting sentences… • What if you want to describe something to your audience? • The girl was small. • The girl wore a small blue dress. • The boy watched the girl. • He knew her name was Jeanie. • The clouds loomed overhead. • How can we combine these things using commas and semi-colons? Be creative. Add details as you paint this picture.

6. Example sentence • He watched as the girl in the blue dress placed a flower on the headstone; her hand brushed the concrete softly. He vaguely remembered someone calling her Jeanie, but he couldn’t be sure. All he knew was in that moment, she looked small and vulnerable as the clouds loomed overhead, pushing a sharp wind through her brown hair.

7. Your mission: • Remember when we worked on showing, not telling? Let’s put it all together! Describe a scene to me that sticks out in your mind. It can be imagined or real. Start with just writing down what happened and what it looked like. Now, use what you’ve learned of figurative language (similes, metaphors, imagery, etc.) and now what you know about combining ideas with commas and semi-colons to weave your ideas together. Use colorful word choice and let your voice be heard! Edit, edit, edit!