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Supercat Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

Not using punctuation?

When you don't want to use an em dash, semicolon, or colon, what are you going to do instead? Is using a period the best way?
  

Top answer

Supercat When you don't want to use an em dash, semicolon, or colon, what are you going to do instead? Is using a period the best way? Yours is an impossible question to answer.

— Mister Micawber

  • Supercat When you don't want to use an em dash, semicolon, or colon, what are you going to do instead?
  • Is using a period the best way?
  • Yours is an impossible question to answer.
  • We need the sentence.
  • But I'm curious—why would anyone not want to use a whole range of punctuation marks?
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4 Answers
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SupercatWhen you don't want to use an em dash, semicolon, or colon, what are you going to do instead? Is using a period the best way?
Yours is an impossible question to answer. We need the sentence. But I'm curious—why would anyone not want to use a whole range of punctuation marks?
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Mister Micawber But I'm curious—why would anyone not want to use a whole range of punctuation marks?
You've got it now. I suppose you would write it in another different way.

Punctuation is sometimes difficult for non-native people, though the use wouldn't cause misunderstanding or confusion, so I just wondered if I can avoid it.
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SupercatPunctuation is sometimes difficult for non-native people
Why? Most other languages use the same or equivalent punctuation marks.
Supercat I just wondered if I can avoid it.
No. Punctuation is an integral part of good writing.
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I never use em-dashes in careful writing, and I don't remember the last time I used a semi-colon.

But I know how to use them, and I encounter them often in other people's writing that I have to interpret.
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