How To Use Commas And Semicolons In A List
It is usual to use commas to separate the items in a list.
How to use commas and semicolons in a list. Colons and semicolons are two types of punctuation. This list would be written like this. Now look at this list. Look at this list. I bought apples grapes and pears.
They show that clauses are related in meaning. Now suppose that the three items i want to list are described in phrases that already contain some commas. When to use a dash or dashes the dash or more specifically the em dash is perhaps the most versatile of the punctuation marks. Colons can introduce a list while commas are used to separate items in a list. She likes chocolate vanilla strawberry and pistachio ice cream.
You will need to bring the following. Comma use a comma after the first independent clause when you link two independent clauses with one of the following coordinating conjunctions. A comma or a semicolon. For example this summary could say semicolons are useful. Semicolons help divide listed items that each contain commas.
We would recommend that commas be used rather than semicolons to separate the items in this list because the items themselves do not contain commas. The choice is yours. However when the list items themselves contain commas you can outrank those commas by using semicolons as the separators for your list items. Depending on the circumstances one of two different punctuation marks can be used between the independent clauses in a compound sentence. And but for or nor so yet.
That being said we ll just mention that sometimes depending on the communicator the format and the audience semicolons might be used to separate items in longer sentences or passages of text. In that case you would not place a comma before the and that joins the final two items. Semicolons are used to join two independent clauses or two complete thoughts that could stand alone as complete sentences. Suppose i want to list three items that i bought at the grocery store. Semicolons separate independent clauses that are related in meaning and they separate items in a list when those items themselves are long or include commas.