In semicolon, cecelia watson charts the rise and fall of this infamous punctuation mark, which for years was the trendiest one in the world of letters. Use a colon to introduce an item or a series of items. Grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing by. How to use semicolons grammar girl quick and dirty tips. The semicolon should be placed outside ending quotation marks. Use of semicolons and exclamation points in childrens. Some writers seem to think that semicolons are fancy commas that create longer pauses that commas. Celebrating the semicolon in a most unlikely location. The last major use of the comma, semicolon, and period hierarchy is in erlang 1986, where commas separate expressions. Another great resource for trying to decipher grammar rules is grammar girl. It is also preferable to use a comma after these words and terms.
The most common use for a semicolon is to connect two short sentences together. A colon is like a literary equals sign as opposed to mathematical one, and a semicolon is like a half full stop or half period. Our rule 1 of spacing with punctuation states, with a computer, use only one space following periods, commas, semicolons, colons, exclamation points, question marks, and quotation marks. And thats that third rule where you use a semicolon before an adverb to split up two independent clauses. Why do we use the new spelling muslim and not the older spelling moslem anymore. Use a semicolon before such words and terms as namely, however, therefore, that is, i. Nov 22, 2015 the semicolon in 20 a girl named amy bleuel lost her father to suicide. Please note that there are a few other ways of using semicolons i. Semicolons the blue book of grammar and punctuation. Previously published as part of grammar girl s quick and dirty tips for better writing online sensation grammar girl makes punctuation fun and easy in grammar girl s punctuation 911 mignon fogarty, a. One of my favorite old grammar books, titled punctuate it right, has a. Nov 28, 2017 the final use is before a quotation and sometimes before the direct speech.
Oct 01, 2006 in the current edition of the blue book of grammar and punctuation and on the website, we have stated a preference for use of the serial, or oxford, comma. That means when you use a semicolon, you use it instead of the ands, buts, and ors. A punctuation mark that is stronger than a comma, used either to separate two independent clauses or to separate items in a list when there are parenthetical commas present. Use a semicolon to separate units of a series when one or more of the units contain commas. Note that with only commas, that sentence is hopeless. Technically, the semicolon could be replaced with a period, since each independent clause is a complete sentence. My second book, the grammar devotional, is now available in stores. Learn when to use colons, when to use semicolons, and what the difference between the two is. The way the author wrote the book, adding meaning to every word, made every page seem full and thick and dense. Semicolons can help create variety, emphasize relatedness and separate items in a list. I was reading a comic about semicolons from the oatmeal, and inside the comic, it mentions that you should not use semicolons with conjunctions with that said, i keep coming across instances of well regarded authors who use semicolons with conjunctions quite frequently. And then finally you use a semicolon before an adverb that joins two independent clauses to create that break. The semicolon was once so popular writers bemoaned its overuse, and its. Using commas, semicolons, and colons within sentences.
The blue book of punctuation and grammar gives this example. Sep 22, 20 by the end of this video, you will know the basics about using a semicolon. The chicago guide to grammar, usage, and punctuation by bryan. Originally, typewriters had monospaced fonts skinny letters and fat letters took up the same amount of space. The space needed after these punctuation marks is proportioned automatically. Jan 23, 2019 a semicolon can also be used with two independent clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb ooh, i got all grammar geeky on you there, didnt i.
A comma is used after the salutation in more informal correspondence. Cecelia watson on world semicolon day grammar girl. The other main use of semicolons is to separate one series of items from anothera series within a series, if you will. Start here for quick tips to get punctuation on track for you or your students. Grammar girl explains how to use them well and improve your. Lets look over here and see if you can place the semicolons in the right spot. The semicolon is sometimes called a super comma, and rightly so, because it can act as a kind of upgrade when just one comma isnt enough or is confusing.
Mignon fogarty, grammar girl, wrote a nyt bestseller, grammar girl s quick and dirty tips for better writing. At least several per book, in certain characters cases. Grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing book. Problems with semicolons except when used to separate items in a series, a semicolon must be followed by an independent clause or else you create a sentence fragment. The issues discussed by the board of directors were many. Grammar girl, is determined to wipe out bad punctuationbut shes also determined to make the process as painless as possible. Mignot fogarty, better known as grammar girl provides the public with an accessible reference on punctuation. This often occurs when listing locations, names, dates, and descriptions.
Mignon fogarty is the founder of quick and dirty tips and the author of seven books on language, including the new york times bestseller grammar girl s quick and dirty tips for better writing. How to use the comma and semicolon correctly pen and the pad. Ixl use semicolons, colons, and commas with lists 8th. According to project semicolon, a semicolon is used when an author couldve chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to. Writing sentence level help online composition hub. The agency approved those agreements having no significant impact on. Interestingly, the dispute was resolved through the use of semicolons and cash. The past, present, and future of a misunderstood mark. Use a semicolon if you need to make a list of items that are separated with a comma.
The result is a landmark resource that will offer clear guidelines to students, writers, and editors alike. The types of books i read are biography, nonfiction and fiction. By the end of this video, you will know the basics about using a semicolon. Popular grammar books meet your next favorite book. In the us, when there are more than two list items, your readers will expect a comma before the conjunction in this case, and that precedes the last list item. The other most common use of semicolons is to separate lists when commas are present within the list itself which is part of a single independent clause. You can use semicolons to divide the items of a list if the items are long or contain internal punctuation.
Maybe that minor bobble will get edited out of the final version. Linguists have found that semicolons, colons, and even commas, are on the wane in everyday usage, and that many speakers no longer understand the use of a semicolon. But in the nineteenth century, as grammar books became all the rage, the rules of how we use language became both stricter and more confusing, with the semicolon a prime example. One reason you might choose to use a semicolon instead of a period is if you wanted to add variety to your sentence structure. Between independent clauses linked by a transitional expression. The chicago guide to grammar, usage, and punctuation is a magisterial work, the culmination of garners lifelong study of the english language. The oxford comma this section is about commas not semicolons, but it will affect how you punctuate your lists. Somewhat related to the colon, but serving a completely different purpose, is the semicolon. So its not like a regular colon where you provide a list afterwards. Use a semicolon between two closely related independent clauses. But in the 19th century, as grammar books became all the rage, the rules of how we use language became both stricter and more confusing, with the semicolon a prime victim. After reading the book i felt i could breathe deep and steadily for the first time in ages. May 31, 2016 colons have a host of uses, but they mostly have in common that the colon acts to connect what precedes it with what follows. By following a few simple rules, you can learn how to use the comma.
A semicolon is used when an author could have ended a sentence, but chose not to. In the first example below, the comma after butter is called a serial comma or an oxford comma. According to grammar girl, you can use a semicolon when you are joining two main clauses with a conjunctive adverb. I can be a little annoyingly pedantic when it comes to grammar and usage. The semicolon, however, emphasizes the connection between the two clauses. Grammar girl provides short, useful tips on grammar that are easy to remember and easy to put into practice. A semicolon isnt the only thing that can link two independent clauses. So weve got the sentence the participants came from chicago, illinois, dallas, texas and savanna, georgia. Using commas, semicolons, and colons within sentences two weeks ago we revisited the case of the lawsuit brought by a group of maine dairy truck drivers that centered on the proper use of commas. Think of the two dots of a colon as if they were stretched out to form an equal sign, so that you get cases like this. Like commas, semicolons indicate an audible pauseslightly longer than a commas, but short of a periods full stop. As you can see from rule 2 of this blog and from rule 2 from our chapter on semicolons, the proper use of a semicolon with a list is only when you are using introductory words such as namely, however, therefore, that is, i.
Semicolons and colons quiz 1 the blue book of grammar and. The first appropriate use of the semicolon is to connect two related sentences. Learn when to use colons, when to use semicolons, when to use commas, and how the three are. Use semicolons to separate elements of a series when the items in the series are long or when individual segments contain material that also must be set off by commas.
When a sentence contains multiple commas in the first clause, it is appropriate to use a semicolon before a conjunction to join two clauses. The use of these punctuation marks often confuses students. Use a comma inside quotation marks at the conclusion of a quote if you are adding attribution at the end. Fourth grade teacher, las vegas public school system whether you are a grammar phobe seeking guidance, a parent looking for a tutorial that your kids will enjoy and therefore use or a writer seeking a fun reference manual for frustrating recurring questions, grammar girl s quick and.
Are modern authors still using colons and semicolons in. In this exercise you will have to decide which pairs of clauses can be connected with a semi colon. Sep 11, 2018 one reason you might choose to use a semicolon instead of a period is if you wanted to add variety to your sentence structure. Mignon fogarty is the founder of quick and dirty tips and the author of seven books on language. Each entry starts with a simple explanation and basic examples before moving to real.
See more ideas about grammar, punctuation and grammar and punctuation. While searching for a good place to get a unicorn burger, i travelled to seattle, washington, tokyo, japan. She is an inductee in the podcasting hall of fame, and the show is a fivetime winner of best education podcast in the podcast awards. The good, the bad, and the semicolon writing stack exchange. She tattooed a semicolon on her body with a simple concept. Leo tolstoy, anna karenina the above quote is one of the great opening lines to any novel. This source will give you an overview of this valuable punctuation mark and how to use it. When too many commas are used in one sentence, the sentence becomes confusing. The conference has people who have come from moscow, idaho, springfield, california, alamo, tennessee, and other places as well. Her tips are available in audio format as a podcast, in text format on her blog, and as a fulllength, comprehensive book that is informative and fun to read. Colons punctuation rules the blue book of grammar and. While learning about grammar, i have become a little confused in regards to the use of semicolons with conjunctions. We think that is a beautiful sentiment and that today is also a good time to talk about the semicolon in general. A semicolon helps to break up the clauses and avoid confusion for the reader.
Sequence of tenses purdue university online writing lab resource60101 grammar revolution. Grammar girl provides short, friendly tips to improve your writing and feed your love of the english language. Grammar girl quick and dirty tips for better writing on apple podcasts. Jul 24, 2017 en dashes, em dashes and hyphens important punctuation lesson english lessons with grammar man duration. T he s em i col on recognize a semicolon when you see one. Its no accident that a semicolon is a period atop a comma. Improve your language arts knowledge with free questions in use semicolons, colons, and commas with lists and thousands of other language arts skills. When we have a list inside of another list, or elements in a list that already have commas in them, we use semicolons to separate all the elements to make sure the sentence is extra clear. Semicolon sightings in the city are unusual but neil neches, a writer in the transit agencys marketing and service information department, inserted one on a placard anyway. See more ideas about grammar, punctuation and grammar. When the quoted matter ends with a semicolon, the semicolon in the quotation is dropped. In the words of abraham lincoln, we have great respect for the semicolon. Rule 1 to avoid confusion, use commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more. Otherwise, theres a lot of wisdom in the book coming from ryans parents and extended family, and even ryan herself learns a few things over the course of the story and drops a few nuggets of wisdom.
Today, i have an interview with cecelia watson, author of a new book i absolutely loved called semicolon. Grammar girls quick and dirty tips for better writing by mignon. Feb 02, 20 the way the author wrote the book, adding meaning to every word, made every page seem full and thick and dense. They often times show cause and effect, sequences, comparison, and contrast. In these cases, the semicolon helps readers keep track of the divisions between the items. Grammar girl the semicolon was once so popular writers. When the second clause expands on or explains the first, the colon is the better mark. My purposes for writing a grammar blog are to educate the public, help people communicate better and show how better writing can make a better impression. With the exception of semicolons in a list, either side of a semicolon should always be able to stand on its own. Use a colon rather than a comma to follow the salutation in a business letter, even when addressing someone by his or her first name. Grammar girl explains when to use a comma in this brief excerpt from, supercharge your content. Nonwriters and you will see this in emails, forum posts, and other written messages often do not use punctuation at all, but rather let all sentences flow into each.
Given its function, it should have been called a semifull stop or a semiperiod. The semicolon was once so popular writers bemoaned its overuse, and its unintended appearance in a boston law forced bars to close at 11 p. But you shouldnt use a semicolon and a conjunction. Colons and semicolons should never be used interchangeably. Conjunctions thats your ands, buts, and ors can do that too. Grammar girl quick and dirty tips for better writing.
Semicolons are most often used to separate two equal independent clauses within one complete sentence semicolon example. For each of the following, choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. Get a memory trick and a helpful chart to remember how to use semicolons. Use of semicolons and exclamation points in childrens chapter books. Buy our book smashing grammar 2019 written by the founder of grammar monster, smashing grammar includes a glossary of grammar essentials from apostrophes to zeugma and a chapter on easily confused words from affecteffect to whetherif. Cecelia also teaches writing and humanities at bard college in new york. All that means is the sentence has a modifier that works like a conjunction to hold the two parts of the sentence together. See more ideas about semicolon, grammar and punctuation and teaching grammar. Fourth grade teacher, las vegas public school system whether you are a grammarphobe seeking guidance, a parent looking for a tutorial that your kids will enjoy and therefore use or a writer seeking a fun reference manual for frustrating recurring questions, grammar girls quick and.