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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
semicolon and colon usage
Hi,
1. I was looking at the punctuation section of cogs.susx.ac.uk website for its help on semicolons and colons and I have some questions on them.
In its "The Semicolon" section, it is noted, "If a suitable connecting word is used, then a joining comma is used, rather than a semicolon: Women's conversation is cooperative, while men's is competitive."
Can you give me some common connecting words that appear a lot in sentences that would make a comma suitable (with simple sentences)? Thank you.
Do conjunctive adverbs like "however", "hence" and "therefore" can be accepted as suitable connecting words?
2. In "The Colon" section of the same said website, it was noted that the colon is used to indicate that what follows it is an explanation or elaboration of what precedes it.
Does that mean what follows can explain or elaborate any part of what precedes it -- any small part?
In "The Semicolon" section of the said website, it was noted that a colon, instead of a semicolon, should be used for this. If a colon is to be used, then what part of the preceding clause does the clause that follows it elaborate or explain?
We've had streams of books on chaos theory: no fewer that twelve since 1988.
1. I was looking at the punctuation section of cogs.susx.ac.uk website for its help on semicolons and colons and I have some questions on them.
In its "The Semicolon" section, it is noted, "If a suitable connecting word is used, then a joining comma is used, rather than a semicolon: Women's conversation is cooperative, while men's is competitive."
Can you give me some common connecting words that appear a lot in sentences that would make a comma suitable (with simple sentences)? Thank you.
Do conjunctive adverbs like "however", "hence" and "therefore" can be accepted as suitable connecting words?
2. In "The Colon" section of the same said website, it was noted that the colon is used to indicate that what follows it is an explanation or elaboration of what precedes it.
Does that mean what follows can explain or elaborate any part of what precedes it -- any small part?
In "The Semicolon" section of the said website, it was noted that a colon, instead of a semicolon, should be used for this. If a colon is to be used, then what part of the preceding clause does the clause that follows it elaborate or explain?
We've had streams of books on chaos theory: no fewer that twelve since 1988.
Top answer
1. Can you give me some common connecting words that appear a lot in sentences that would make a comma suitable (with simple sentences)? -- because, while, so, and, or, but, yet, although.
- 1.
- Can you give me some common connecting words that appear a lot in sentences that would make a comma suitable (with simple sentences)?
- -- because, while, so, and, or, but, yet, although.
- Many example sentences can be found by googling these words.
- Do conjunctive adverbs like "however", "hence" and "therefore" can be accepted as suitable connecting words?
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4 Answers
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1. Can you give me some common connecting words that appear a lot in sentences that would make a comma suitable (with simple sentences)? -- because, while, so, and, or, but, yet, although. Many example sentences can be found by googling these words.
Do conjunctive adverbs like "however", "hence" and "therefore" can be accepted as suitable connecting words? -- N
Do conjunctive adverbs like "however", "hence" and "therefore" can be accepted as suitable connecting words? -- N
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Thank you, Mr. M. In your answer you said "the post-colon portion elaborated the number of books on chaos theory" in regard to the following example sentence:
We've had streams of books on chaos theory: no fewer that tweleve since 1988.
My one possible foible is the fact that I try read the sentence as it is (or as it seems to me) and don't read too much in
We've had streams of books on chaos theory: no fewer that tweleve since 1988.
My one possible foible is the fact that I try read the sentence as it is (or as it seems to me) and don't read too much in
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1-- I certainly don't think I am reading too much into that simple statement, but I don't get your point. What is it? 'Streams' means 'consecutively many', so....?
2-- 'While men's is competitive' is a dependent clause, headed by a subordinate conjunction. That is why it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. Remove the subordinate conjunction, and it is fine-- and a semicolon can
2-- 'While men's is competitive' is a dependent clause, headed by a subordinate conjunction. That is why it cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. Remove the subordinate conjunction, and it is fine-- and a semicolon can
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Do conjunctive adverbs like "however", "hence" and "therefore" can be accepted as suitable connecting words? -- No; nor can these: meanwhile, thus, consequently, nevertheless.
However, "nor" IS a conjunction, so you should have written "No, nor can these:"
However, "nor" IS a conjunction, so you should have written "No, nor can these:"
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