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El Literate Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
semicolon usage
I understand that a semicolon may be used instead of a comma when elements in the list have commas, such as: "Last year I visited Athens, Georgia; Syracuse, New York; Richmond, California and Augusta, Maine.
But when only some elements of the list include commas, should only those be followed by a semicolon or should the entire list include the semicolon even when not needed to delineate ?
As in: Last year I visited London; Paris; Rome, Syracuse, New York; Richmond, California; Augusta, Maine and Madrid.
Is consistency needed as above (all semi-colons) when the comma is only needed for a few ?
But when only some elements of the list include commas, should only those be followed by a semicolon or should the entire list include the semicolon even when not needed to delineate ?
As in: Last year I visited London; Paris; Rome, Syracuse, New York; Richmond, California; Augusta, Maine and Madrid.
Is consistency needed as above (all semi-colons) when the comma is only needed for a few ?
Top answer
I'd fudge it by writing: Last year I visited Syracuse, New York; Richmond, California; Augusta, Maine; and London, Paris, Rome and Madrid.
- I'd fudge it by writing: Last year I visited Syracuse, New York; Richmond, California; Augusta, Maine; and London, Paris, Rome and Madrid.
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4 Answers
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I'd fudge it by writing:
Last year I visited Syracuse, New York; Richmond, California; Augusta, Maine; and London, Paris, Rome and Madrid.
Last year I visited Syracuse, New York; Richmond, California; Augusta, Maine; and London, Paris, Rome and Madrid.
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Hi, I think that you're complicating things. Just use a comma to separate all of the cities.
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realeye Hi, I think that you're complicating things. Just use a comma to separate all of the cities.The problem with that is some readers might think the states were cities and that ten cities had been visited.:
Last year I visited London, Paris, Rome, Syracuse, New York, Richmond, California. Augusta, Maine and Madrid.
Another possi
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realeyeI think that you're complicating things. Just use a comma to separate all of the cities.I don’t. On the contrary, using semicolons would uncomplicate (is that a word?) things.
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