Mrs' Miller

1
Commas, Semicolons, Colon Notes

• Mrs. Miller
• English
• 7th grade

2
Commas

• Using commas to signal pause or separation
• Using commas in clauses and compound sentences
• Using commas with titles, addresses, and dates
• Using commas with direct quotes, in letters, and
  for clarity

3
Using commas to signal pause or separation

• To show a pause after an introductory word.
• No, I wont be attending the meeting.
• To separate three or more items in a series.
• The cat jumped off the counter, landed on a
  throw rug, and skidded across the floor.
• Use after two or more introductory prepositional
  phrases, and introductory adverb clause, and
  introductory participle, or an introductory
  participial phrase.
• In the middle of winter, a flower is an
  encouraging sight.
• Although we were cold, we still had a good time.
• Remembering the open window, Josh ran upstairs.

4
Using commas to signal pause or separation

• To set off appositives that are not essential to
  the meaning of the sentence.
• Uncle Doug, Dads youngest brother, works for an
  insurance company.
• To set off words that interrupt the flow of
  thought in a sentence.
• Ice hockey, to be sure, can be a violent sport.
• To set off names in direct address.
• Charlie, you may begin.

5
Using commas in clauses and compound sentences

• Before a coordinating conjunction such as and,
  or, or but when it joins main clauses in a
  compound sentence.
• My grandparents came to visit, and they brought
  me a present.
• To set off an adverb clause that comes at the
  beginning of a complex sentence.
• Unless a miracle happens, the Raiders will lose
  the game.
• Do not use a comma with an adverb clause that
  comes at the end of a sentence.
• The Raiders will lose the game unless a miracle
  happens.

6
Using commas with titles, addresses, and dates

• Before and after the year when it is used with
  both the month and the day. Do not use if only
  the month and the year are given.
• Beethoven was born on December 4, 1770, and died
  in March 1827.
• Before and after the name of a state or county
  when it is used with the name of a city. Do not
  use after the state if it is used with a ZIP
  code.
• They moved here from Jackson, Mississippi, last
  fall.
• Write to me at 143 S. Peachtree, Austin, TX
  75789.
• To set off an abbreviated title or degree
  following a persons name.
• The letter was signed Mia Thompson, Ph. D., and
  dated last week.

7
Using commas with direct quotes, in letters, and
for clarity

• Use a comma to set off a direct quotation.
• My cousin, Marla said, will be thirteen next
  week.
• Use a comma after the salutation of a friendly
  letter and after the closing of both a friendly
  and a business letter.
• Dear Melanie, Sincerely yours,
• Use a comma to prevent misreading.
• Compared to Maine, Maryland is a southern state.

8
Using semicolons

• To join parts of a compound sentence when a
  conjunction is not used.
• The thunder sounded louder the downpour was
  only minutes away.
• To join parts of a compound sentence when the
  main clauses are long and are subdivided by
  commas.
• Moms bird feeders, all fourteen of them,
  constantly needed to be refilled but our yard
  had more sparrows, chickadees, and robins than
  any place in town.

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Using colons

• To introduce a list of items that ends a
  sentence.
• The jerseys are available in the following
  colors red, blue, green, and purple.
• To separate the hour and the minute when writing
  the time of day.
• The mail carrier usually arrives at 315 p.m.
• After the salutation of a business letter.
• To whom this may concern