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.