A colon can be used to separate two independent clauses when a the second clause is directly related to the first clause not just vaguely related and b when the emphasis is on the second clause. Valuable for anyone who takes tests or writes reports, letters, web pages, emails, or blogs, the. The following rules come from the blue book of grammar and punctuation website, courtesy of jane straus you can view additional tips, read janes blog, or purchase her book at the following website. Semicolons and colons quiz 1 the blue book of grammar and.
The blue book of punctuation and grammar gives this. Test your knowledge of comma usage by reading back through this article. Grammar and punctuation the blue book of grammar and. This handy workbook is ideal for teachers, students in middle school through college, esl students, homeschoolers, and professionals. Public and unpublished materials bluebook citation for legal materials. Below youll find links to our discussion on all punctuation marks. So weve got the sentence the participants came from chicago, illinois, dallas, texas and savanna, georgia. Comma placement determines the grammatical, and therefore logical. Some writers seem to think that semicolons are fancy commas that create longer pauses that commas. Review the blue book of grammar and punctuation young. 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. For each of the following, choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. Use a semicolon to separate units of a series when one or more of the units contain commas.
When the phrases are short, a comma is preferable to the semicolon. Using a comma instead of a semicolon in the sentences above would result in a comma splice. At their worst, misused punctuation marks commas, semicolons, quotation marks, and. A semicolon may be used between independent clauses joined by a connector, such as and, but, or, nor, etc. Feb 10, 2014 the blue book of grammar and punctuation is a concise, entertaining workbook and guide to english grammar, punctuation, and usage. Heres an example of a normal list that wouldnt require a semicolon. The blue book of grammar and punctuation jane straus download. Use a semicolon in place of a period to separate two sentences where the conjunction has been left out. The blue book of grammar and punctuation by mark nichol no one writing handbook or grammar guide should suffice for careful writers, and though jane strauss the blue book of grammar and punctuation is less comprehensive than some other resources, its largeformat workbook approach provides a readerfriendly introduction to. It doesnt take a lifetime to master english grammar and punctuation. So the first one and probably the most prolific use of it is when you use it in place of a period to separate two independent clauses that arent joined with a conjunction. Interestingly, the dispute was resolved through the use of semicolons and cash. Lets look over here and see if you can place the semicolons in the right spot. Comma rule 2, introductory elements, use commas after words, phrases, and clauses that modify the rest of the sentence.
Concepts are described in clear and simple phrases, and backed up with examples one would find in everyday language. Its extremely well organized, ensuring that readers can quickly locate a required topic. But see is used when the citation clearly supports a proposition contradictory to the textual assertion, and. Use a semicolon to connect put together two related, or similar, sentences. When too many commas are used in one sentence, the sentence becomes confusing. When i finish here, and i will soon, ill be glad to help you. Semicolon definition in the cambridge english dictionary.
Using commas, semicolons, and colons within sentences. While you can also use a semicolon or a period between two independentyetrelated clauses, the colon is a little softer than the period, but a. The late jane straus, author of the blue book of grammar and punctuation, has another useful grammar nugget to help ease your pain jane says. The blue book of grammar and punctuation is filled with easytounderstand rules,realworld examples, dozens of reproducible exercises, and pre and posttests.
Most newspapers and magazines drop theoxford comma in a simple. A semicolon isnt the only thing that can link two independent clauses. Mar 18, 2014 the blue book of grammar and punctuation, eleventh edition. Most newspapers and magazines drop theoxford comma in a simple series, apparently feeling its unnecessary. We have broken some of the longer topics into multiple pages. Punctuation definition, overview, and lists of examples. A list that is long or requires punctuation to divide up different clauses, as in the example about mayors above. Handbooks on english grammar are too numerous, yet few are written with keeping in mind the usual problems of students. Semicolons and colons quiz 1 the blue book of grammar. Rule 1 to avoid confusion, use commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more. Jun 26, 2015 2 the blue book of grammar and punctuation rule 2. 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. When a sentence contains multiple commas in the first clause, it is appropriate to use a semicolon before a conjunction to join two clauses.
A bouquet of yellow roses will lend color and fragrance to the room. You want to know when you should use a comma and when you need a semicolon. Grammar rules the blue book of grammar and punctuation. Many of you have been asking for help with punctuating between sentences. Usually in a spatial or temporal sense, introductory elements can also introduce moodmeaning modifications. A subject will come before a phrase beginning with of. I like the colors red, green, blue, orange and turquoise. Rule 2 link two closely related ideas that already have punctuation colon, dash, or comma in them example. 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. This article is about serialcomma rule red, white, and blue enjoy your reading. Do not capitalize ordinary words after a semicolon.
For example, the associated press ap stylebook is a guide specific for news media and journalists while the chicago manual of style cms is used by many book publishers and writers. Ive been a technical writer for about 7 years, and jane straus the blue book of grammar and punctuation is the best reference ive found. Use commas when an ly adjective is used with other adjectives. Placement with periods, commas, question marks, and semicolons. All it takes is the blue book of grammar and punctuation. So watch for references to pages 123 at the bottom of the topic. No one writing handbook or grammar guide should suffice for careful writers, and though jane strauss the blue book of grammar and punctuation is less comprehensive than some other resources, its largeformat workbook approach provides a readerfriendly introduction to the intricacies of proper prose straus was still a college student when she began her career as a writing consultant for. The blue book of grammar and punctuation, eleventh edition.
Some grammarians choose to add a second comma before the word and in sentences such as this one, but using that comma has become a matter of preference rather than an hardandfast rule. With over 200,000 copies sold, this is one of the most highly trusted english language resources available. When the last comma in a series comes before and or or after daughterinlaw in theabove example, it is known as the oxford comma. To find the subject and verb, always find the verb first. The blue book of grammar and punctuation jane straus. In a diverse and rapidly changing legal profession, the bluebook continues to provide a systematic method by which members of the profession communicate important information to one another about the sources and legal authorities upon. How to use the comma and semicolon correctly pen and the pad. The following rules come from the blue book of grammar and punctuation website, courtesy of jane straus. The blue book of grammar and punctuation is filled with easytounderstand rules, realworld examples, dozens of reproducible exercises, and pre and posttests. The blue book of grammar and punctuation 11th edition. We connect the sentences with a semicolon to eliminate the pause between them.
For guidance in proper citation format, you should consult the bluebook, our. The blue book of grammar and punctuation leans towards usage rules in cms along with other authoritative texts and does not attempt to conform to the ap. Semicolons punctuation rules the blue book of grammar. Semicolons the blue book of grammar and punctuation. Among such rare grammar books is the one written by jane straus, named as the blue book of grammar and punctuation. This userfriendly resource includes simple explanations of grammar, punctuation, and usage.
Thus, you only need semicolons to separate the units of the series from each other and not from the rest of the sentence. When you use a coordinating conjunction to join two elements of a series, no comma comes. For example, several cases following a see signal must be placed in order according to court, chronology, and sometimes alphabetically. Marks extended rules for using quotation marks more quotation mark rules. The blue book of grammar and punctuation succeeds at a rare feat. 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.
Use a semicolon when you link two independent clauses with no connecting words. Generations of law students, lawyers, scholars, judges, and other legal professionals have relied on the bluebooks unique system of citation in their writing. A semicolon helps to break up the clauses and avoid confusion for the reader. A revised and updated new edition of the bestselling workbook and grammar guide. How to use the semicolon there are three uses of the semicolon. The blue book of grammar and punctuation 11th edition pages. The blue book of grammar and punctuation is a concise, entertaining workbook and guide to english grammar, punctuation, and usage. The blue book of punctuation and grammar gives this example. Semicolons and colons quiz 1 from the blue book of grammar and punctuation. And thats that third rule where you use a semicolon before an adverb to split up two independent clauses. Thats exactly why you cant substitute a comma for a semicolon. Contra is used whenever the cited authority directly states a contradictory proposition and so is essentially the contradictory form of no signal.
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