Commas, Semi-colons, Colons, Dashes
and Quotation Marks

Commas:

 Commas (,) clarify and separate sentence elements. Use commas to separate items in a series 
 
 

She bought a new dress, heels, and pantyhose.
to separate independent clauses joined by conjunctions (and or but) 
 
 
I bought him a new car, and he wrecked it a week later.
to set off dependent clauses (sentences that don't stand alone) 
 
 
Since he was so late, I just left without him.

 Before they could claim I stole it, I took the microwave back to the store.

to set off direct quotations 
 
 
He said, "You're really a jerk for standing me up," then walked away angrily.


Semicolons:

 Use a semicolon (;) to link closely related independent clauses 

I went to the store; it had closed at five.
When items in a series contain commas, use semicolons to separate them. 

Sculptors creating works for outdoor display generally use native stone like sandstone, granite, or limestone; metals or alloys like bronze, cast iron or steel; or imported stone like marble. 

Use a semicolon instead of a comma between independent clauses joined by a conjunction (and or but) when the clauses themselves contain a lot of commas. 
 
 

Much of the sculpture commissioned for public plazas is artistically innovative, visually appealing, and technically impressive; but often it does not appeal to the general public.


Colons:

 A colon says, "Pay attention to the information that follows." 

 Use colons (:) to introduce a series 
 
 

Go to the store and get these ingredients: milk, eggs, butter and bread.
to precede quoted material that appears at the end of a sentence 
 
 
He told me something that would have infuriated most women: "You are a good mechanic for a female."
or to precede clarifying or added information. 
 
 
Medieval churches were constructed with Gothic arches: works of intricate stonemasonry whose supports came to a point at the top.


Quotation marks 

Quotation marks ("") set off direct quotations 
 
 

"Go see if dinner is ready," she said.
identify the titles of poems, unpublished and short works (articles) and chapters in longer works. 
 
 
Elizabeth Bishop's poem "In the Waiting Room" changed my life.


Dashes

Dashes (--) help to create emphasis and establish meaning. 

A dash is used to introduce parenthetical information emphatically and clearly 
 
 

American military advisers did not acknowledge the strength and tenacity of the Viet Cong -- a costly error.
to set off a series at the beginning or end of a sentence 
 
 
The Tiger, the Mako, the Great White -- these sharks deserve our respect more than our fear.
and mark interruptions in thought, speech or action. 
 
 
Andrew Wyeth's monochromatic paintings -- why didn't he use color? -- are popular with very few people.


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