Blue book of grammar semicolon or comma

In a series consisting of three or more elements, separate the elements by commas. Like commas, semicolons indicate an audible pauseslightly longer than a commas, but short of a. 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. This userfriendly resource includes simple explanations of.

Using semicolons in lists semicolons can be used in lists to outrank any commas which appear in list items. With few exceptions, a comma should not separate a subject from its verb. English punctuation has always had two complementary. For guidance in proper citation format, you should consult the bluebook, our. Use a comma after the first independent clause when you link two independent. Thus, you only need semicolons to separate the units of the series from each other. Punctuation in the english language helps the reader to understand a sentence through visual means other than just the letters of the alphabet. Semicolons and colons quiz 2 the blue book of grammar and. The comma is placed on either side of the insertion.

Test your knowledge of comma usage by reading back through this article. Dec 09, 2015 commas and semicolons can easily become two of the most confusing punctuation marks to use properly. The possible color combinations are green, blue, and red. 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. The blue book of grammar and punctuation succeeds at a rare feat. When a conjunction usually and, or, or but joins the. If there is any possible confusion, use the final comma. The semicolon represents a break midway between a comma and a full stop, and is principally used to separate independent sentencelike clauses that are strongly related never use a lathe or any other machine in the workshop if you are feeling ill or tired. Semicolons instead of commas this article is about semicolons instead of commas enjoy your reading.

Jun 26, 2015 vi the blue book of grammar and punctuation with sentences that have multiple clauses colons 58 to attach lists to sentences spacing with tabular formatting with long quotations after the salutation in a business letter question marks 60 exclamation points 61 quotation marks 61 placement with periods, commas, question marks, and semicolons use. Correct grammar and punctuation are key to making a good impression. If the series is long and complex or any one element has a comma within it. Jasons grandmother, who was born in 1930, lived through the second world war.

Writers are often tempted to insert a comma between a subject and verb this way because. English grammar 101 additional punctuation, lesson 3. The blue book of punctuation and grammar gives this example. It may be substituted for a period between two grammatically complete sentences that are closely connected in sense. Thus, you only need semicolons to separate the units of the series from each other and not from the rest of the sentence. Its no accident that a semicolon is a period atop a comma.

Test your knowledge of comma usage by reading back through. When the phrases are short, a comma is preferable to the semicolon. Grammar and punctuation the blue book of grammar and. Make a list of the commas used and see if you can explain why they are there, according to the rules presented. The comma attempts to separate a compound predicate. Written without jargon for all of us who need simple answers to our everyday questions, this new, updated version has 50% more materialrules, exercises, tests, and answersand a new cover that is both sleek and durable. The function of the semicolon is somewhere between a period and a comma. Colons and semicolons should never be used interchangeably. The blue book of grammar and punctuation jane straus. Be careful here not to confuse ly adverbs with adjectives as ly adverbs dont necessarily need commas after them.

Conjunctions thats your ands, buts, and ors can do that too. Review the blue book of grammar and punctuation young. Jan 01, 1997 the blue book of grammar and punctuation is filled with easytounderstand rules, realworld examples, dozens of reproducible exercises, and pre and posttests. The best grammar and punctuation books five books expert. A misplaced comma can change your emphasis and sometimes your meaning. This userfriendly resource includes simple explanations of grammar, punctuation, and usage. In this example we use the coordinating conjunction and but have 1 subject and 2 verbs.

The blue book of grammar and punctuation is a concise, entertaining workbook and guide to english. Written without jargon for all of us who need simple answers to our. Semicolons do not pause as long as periods, but they are slightly longer than commas. Use a semicolon to separate units of a series when one or more of the units contain commas. And then finally you use a semicolon before an adverb that joins two independent clauses to create that break. The conference has people who have come from moscow, idaho, springfield, california, alamo, tennessee, and other places as well. Mar 18, 2014 the blue book of grammar and punctuation, eleventh edition. Its a refresher for experts, a reference for lay people, and a lesson plan for teachers.

Adding a comma after crackers makes it clear that cheese and crackers represents one dish. Rule 1 to avoid confusion, use commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more. Another way to look at it is to consider the simplest form of the sentence, which could be pam reid, a registered nurse, attended the meeting. Legal, public and unpublished materials bluebook citation for legal materials. China, one of the most powerful nations on earth, has a huge population. These are a very few of the common errors i see in student writing. Semicolons are used in place of a period to separate two independent clauses that are joined without a conjunction. In the following fivepart exercise select true or false to indicate whether the sentence uses the appropriate comma or semicolon. The blue book of grammar and punctuation will amuse you while demystifying the rules of grammar and punctuation. With the exception of semicolons in a list, either side of a semicolon should. Often, the appositive provides additional information about the noun or helps to distinguish it in some way. Jane straus, foremost expert, answers your burning english grammar and punctuation questions. Note that with only commas, that sentence is hopeless.

Among such rare grammar books is the one written by jane. Comma placement determines the grammatical, and therefore logical. 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. Among such rare grammar books is the one written by jane straus, named as the blue book of grammar and punctuation. When the final semicolon in a complex series of items replaces a. A semicolon isnt the only thing that can link two independent clauses. The comma there are some general rules which you can apply when using the comma. An unparalleled letdown quick and dirty tips thanks again to lester and tom, who recently released a new edition of the blue book of grammar and punctuation. Most newspapers and magazines drop the oxford comma in a simple series, apparently feeling its unnecessary. Semicolons and colons quiz 1 from the blue book of grammar and punctuation. All it takes is the blue book of grammar and punctuation.

Now in its tenth edition, the blue book is a masterpiece of clarity and usefulness. The blue book of grammar and punctuation, eleventh edition. Using commas, semicolons, and colons within sentences. How is the comma used incorrectly in the sentence above. A revised and updated new edition of the bestselling workbook and grammar guide. Using semicolons semicolons are used for making lists clearer and for controlling the flow of text from one sentence to the next.

At their worst, misused punctuation marks commas, semicolons, quotation marks, and. Semicolons and colons quiz 1 the blue book of grammar and. The blue book of grammar and punctuation the blue book of grammar and punctuation. The blue book of grammar and punctuation is filled with easytounderstand rules, realworld examples, dozens of reproducible exercises, and pre and posttests. Commas and semicolons can easily become two of the most confusing punctuation marks to use properly. Interestingly, the dispute was resolved through the use of semicolons and cash.

This timesaving video by brightstorm explains how to properly use semicolons. The blue book of grammar and punctuation by jane straus. Colons are used before appositives that follow an independent clause. When should one use the comma versus the semicolon, and. Using a comma instead of a semicolon in the sentences above would result in a comma splice.

You can also use a semicolon when you join two independent clauses together. What sets this great book apart is the 40 pages of quizzes. The teacher corrected the papers and entered the grades in the grade book. The late jane straus, author of the blue book of grammar and punctuation, has another useful grammar nugget to help ease your pain jane. Jan 01, 2004 the blue book of grammar and punctuation will amuse you while demystifying the rules of grammar and punctuation. An easytouse guide with clear rules, realworld examples, and reproducible quizzes by jane straus.

Constitution but constitutional, the electoral college, department of agriculture. Semicolons and colons quiz 1 the blue book of grammar. Use a comma to enclose nondefining relative clauses and other nonessential details and comments. The comma attempts to join two independent clauses.

Like commas, semicolons indicate an audible pauseslightly longer than a commas, but short of a periods full stop. Use either a comma or a semicolon before introductory words such as namely, that is, i. Carla often participated in school plays, but she always ended up playing minor roles. 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.

However, you will find that in english there are many other ways to use the comma to add to the meaning of a sentence. The blue book of grammar and punctuation is a concise, entertaining workbook and guide to english grammar. The blue book of grammar and punctuation 11th edition pages. Writing 20 2 punctuation 25 periods 25 commas 25 semicolons 30 colons. Semicolons and colons quiz 2 the blue book of grammar. A semicolon is used to express a pause between thoughts. When the final semicolon in a complex series of items replaces a serial comma, it should be followed by a conjunction, just as a serial comma should. An appositive is a word or phrase that refers to the same thing as another noun in the same sentence. It doesnt take a lifetime to master english grammar and punctuation.

Semicolons the blue book of grammar and punctuation. This handy workbook is ideal for teachers, students in middle school through college, esl students, homeschoolers, and professionals. Some writers seem to think that semicolons are fancy commas that create longer pauses that commas. The best grammar and punctuation books recommended by mark nichol. For each of the following, choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. The blue book of grammar and punctuation 11th edition. With over 200,000 copies sold, this is one of the most highly trusted english language resources available. An unparalleled letdown quick and dirty tips thanks again to lester and tom, who recently released a new edition of the blue book of grammar. The comma attempts to set apart an essential element. The blue book of grammar and punctuation is a concise, entertaining workbook and guide to english grammar, punctuation, and usage. The semicolon represents a break midway between a comma and a full stop, and is principally used to separate independent sentencelike clauses that are strongly related. When a conjunction usually and, or, or but joins the last two elements in the series, put a comma before the conjunction. In other circumstances, the final comma is optional. Handbooks on english grammar are too numerous, yet few are written with keeping in mind the usual problems of students.