Strongcomma semicolons kathy steinemann on december 15, 2016 11. By following a few simple rules, you can learn how to use the comma and semicolon correctly. For each of the following, choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. Semicolons and colons quiz 1 the blue book of grammar and. Commas quiz semicolons and colons quiz question marks, quotation marks, and. At their worst, misused punctuation marks commas, semicolons, quotation marks, and. Some of the worksheets for this concept are great grammar semicolons and colons, commas colons and semi colons oh my quiz answer key, lesson 77 semicolons answers, solutions for all english home language, ab5 gp pe tpcpy 193604. Omitting the comma after son would indicate that the son and nephew would have to split onethird of the. Divide the candy between the two of you divide the candy among the three of you. 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. Learn grammar commas semicolons colons with free interactive flashcards. A semicolon is used in place of a period when you want to emphasize a relationship between two sentences.
Some common phrases are prepositional, gerund, participial, and infinitive. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. The comma before the and in a list of three or more items is optional. Choose from 335 different sets of grammar commas semicolons colons flashcards on quizlet. Rule 1 to avoid confusion, use commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more. Semicolons and colons quiz 1 from the blue book of grammar and punctuation. Each entry starts with a simple explanation and basic examples before moving to real. Lesson 82 using semicolon so and colons worksheets. Note that with only commas, that sentence is hopeless. In business writing, media writing or even in writing personal letters and emails, proper grammar helps you portray your message clearly and projects intelligence on your part. Using commas, semicolons, and colons within sentences. Use the colon to follow the salutation of a business letter even when addressing someone by hisher first name.
Daily grammar lesson 384 mechanics punctuation semicolons. 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. Its no accident that a semicolon is a period atop a comma. Learn about punctuation in a simple way with many example sentences using the contents from our english grammar book. I went online and read an entry about the semicolon, which has always intrigued me because at school we were told that it was so hard to use correctly that it was better not to use it.
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, eleventh edition. The blue book of grammar and punctuation a short list of rules. Select the answer choice that corrects the punctuation errors. The blue book of grammar and punctuation 11th edition. 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. The hotair balloon rose slowly into the bright, blue sky. Use commas when an ly adjective is used with other adjectives. Alright, you also can use semicolons to separate a list in which certain items in the list already use commas.
Comma placement determines the grammatical, and therefore logical. With over 200,000 copies sold, this is one of the most highly trusted english language resources available. From ehow comma, 1 use a comma to separate 2 independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction such as and, but and or. Writers disagree on whether lists of three or more should include a comma before the. Monthyear commas and elliptical expressions commas with quotation marks semicolon semicolons and independent clauses however and other conjunctive adverbs semicolons separating elements in a series semicolons with. Review the blue book of grammar and punctuation young. Mind mapping, note mapping, and concept mapping to promote logical thinking, reading comprehension, idea generation, and knowledge analysis. Would it be better to use parentheses or a dash in this sentence. Jane straus, foremost expert, answers your burning english grammar and punctuation questions. Cliffsnotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what youre studying, cliffsnotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams.
A revised and updated new edition of the bestselling workbook and grammar guide. Are there gray areas where there really is no rule. Use acomma to separate contrasting parts ofasentence. The blue book of grammar and punctuation the blue book of grammar and punctuation. Blue book of grammar and punctuation 1 concursos 31. Carla often participated in school plays, but she always ended up playing minor roles. Use a semicolon when separating two independent clauses that are not joined by a conjunction.
This article is about punctuation definition, overview, and lists of examples enjoy your reading. Grammar finding subjects and verbs subject and verb agreement pronouns who vs. Grammar is a system of rules that defines the use of the language. Like commas, semicolons indicate an audible pauseslightly longer than a commas, but short of a. Grammar rules the blue book of grammar and punctuation. If youre bewildered by semicolons, then youre not alone. This userfriendly resource includes simple explanations of grammar, punctuation, and usage.
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. Displaying top 8 worksheets found for lesson 82 using semicolon so and colons. Punctuation definition, overview, and lists of examples. My estate goes to my husband, son, daughterinlaw, and nephew. Many of you have been asking for help with punctuating between sentences. Like commas, semicolons indicate an audible pauseslightly longer than a commas, but short of a periods full stop. Your list might be made up of nouns, as in the example above, but it could also be made up of verbs, adjectives, or clauses. An easytouse guide with clear rules, realworld examples, and reproducible quizzes by jane straus. Constitution but constitutional, the electoral college, department of agriculture. When the last comma in a series comes before and or or after daughterinlaw in the above example, it is known as the oxford comma. Find out the answers to these and all your other punctuation questions in to comma or not to comma, the latest grammar book from bestselling amazon author arlene miller, the grammar diva. Feb 10, 2014 the blue book of grammar and punctuation, eleventh edition. For guidance in proper citation format, you should consult the bluebook, our. With todays almostilliterate younger generation, i often wonder how much punctuation, grammar, and spelling they notice as they spew out improper theyre, there, their, and countless other stupidities.
See the entire contents of the blue book of grammar and punctuation. Use the semicolon if you have two independent clauses connected without a conjunction. Grammar and punctuation the blue book of grammar and. My girlfriend eats healthy foods such as oranges, yogurt, vegetables, and rice. Most of the grammar and punctuation rules you have learned in school will be the same as associated press style, which is covered in the second of this fivepart edis publication series on news media writing, but there are some differences. I noticed this was available online as well, which is quite useful. Also use the semicolon when you already have commas within a sentence for smaller separations, and you need the semicolon to show bigger separations. This handy workbook is ideal for teachers, students in middle school through college, esl students, homeschoolers, and professionals. To see the entire contents of the blue book of grammar and punctuation online and to take online. 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. Some writers seem to think that semicolons are fancy commas that create longer pauses that commas.
This userfriendly resource includes simple explanations of. A comma is used after the salutation for personal correspondence. Like commas, semicolons indicate an audible pauseslightly longer than a comma s, but short of a periods full stop. Use either a comma or a semicolon before introductory words such as namely, that is, i. 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. May be used to practice, reinforce, or teach grammar and punctuation skills. 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 nice part here is that this semicolon usage is a good way to fix run on sentences if you have them. Semicolons and colons quiz 2 the blue book of grammar. The blue book of grammar and punctuation is a combination reference book and workbook. Feb 27, 2008 jane straus, foremost expert, answers your burning english grammar and punctuation questions. The blue book of grammar and punctuation is a concise, entertaining workbook and guide to english grammar, punctuation, and usage.
Grammarly s writing assistant can help you make sure your punctuation, spelling, and grammar are tiptop on all your favorite websites. When should one use the comma versus the semicolon, and. Handbooks on english grammar are too numerous, yet few are written with keeping in mind the usual problems of students. For instance, older, more traditional grammar books suggest the following sentence is correct. Commas are used to set off items in a series of three or more, or to separate two adjectives preceding a noun. This article is about serialcomma rule red, white, and blue enjoy your reading. The blue book of grammar and punctuation jane straus. The blue book of punctuation and grammar gives this example. Commas can be tricky, but they dont have to trip you up. The conference has people who have come from moscow, idaho, springfield, california, alamo, tennessee, and other places as well. Use a semicolon to separate phrases a phrase is a group of words used as a sentence part.
The blue book of grammar and punctuation 11th edition pages. Semicolons and colons quiz 1 the blue book of grammar. The best grammar and punctuation books five books expert. All it takes is the blue book of grammar and punctuation. Lets go on to the blue book of grammar and punctuation, which is very popular grammar book. Understanding the basics of comma usage but mostly their relationship with conjunctions is important to understanding semicolon usage. Among such rare grammar books is the one written by jane straus, named as the blue book of grammar and punctuation. Even the most experienced writers have problems remembering all the rules. In a series consisting of three or more elements, separate the elements by commas. I heard my teacher call my name, and everyone turned to stare at me. Constitution but constitutional, the electoral college, department of. The blue book of grammar and punctuation commas rule 1. A revised and updated new edition of the bestselling workbook and grammar guide the blue book of grammar and punctuation is a concise, entertaining workbook and guide to english grammar, punctuation, and usage. Commas quiz 2 the blue book of grammar and punctuation.
Semicolons the blue book of grammar and punctuation. To avoid confusion, use commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more. Commas quiz 2 from the blue book of grammar and punctuation. In the following fivepart exercise select true or false to indicate whether the sentence uses the appropriate comma or semicolon. Use a comma after the first independent clause when you link two independent clauses with one of the following coordinating conjunctions. Thus, you only need semicolons to separate the units of the series from each other and not from the rest of the sentence. Correct semicolon usage writing academy scribophile. 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 stylebook, which differs significantly in some aspects. Semicolons are punctuation marks used to separate parts of sentences. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Use a semicolon to separate units of a series when one or more of the units contain commas. How to use the comma and semicolon correctly pen and the pad. 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. It doesnt take a lifetime to master english grammar and punctuation.
Feb 10, 2014 the blue book of grammar and punctuation. An easytouse guide with clear rules, real world examples, and reproducible quizzes contents acknowledgments about the author foreword introduction chapter 1. Many people arent exactly sure how to use them, so they simply avoid using them altogether. You want to know when you should use a comma and when you need a semicolon.