Semicolons, colons and commas: review

Key notes:

Use a comma to separate two complete sentences that are joined with a coordinating conjunction, such as and, or, but, or so. However, if the coordinating conjunction joins verbs or verb phrases in a compound predicate, a comma should not be used.

  • Wyatt was reserved around new people, but he was hardly shy.
  • Wyatt was reserved around new people but was hardly shy.

Also use a comma after a dependent (or subordinate) clause if it is followed by a complete sentence. These dependent clauses usually start with a subordinating conjunction, such as after, although or because.

  • Although Wyatt was reserved around new people, he was hardly shy.

Use a semicolon to connect two closely related sentences that are not joined with a coordinating conjunction.

  • Wyatt was hardly shy; he was simply reserved around new people.

Also use a semicolon to connect two sentences that are joined with a conjunctive adverb, such as consequently, however or therefore.

  • Wyatt was hardly shy; nevertheless, he was reserved around new people.

Use a colon to introduce a list after a complete sentence. If a list does not follow a complete sentence, do not use punctuation to introduce the list.

  • My parents have visited much of Western Europe: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
  • My parents have visited much of Western Europe, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.

Put a comma after each item in the list, except for the last one. The serial comma, or Oxford comma, is the comma that appears before the conjunction. The serial comma is optional.

  • Our speakers will be Kevin O’Malley, Rachel Stein, and Linda Wu.

Use semicolons to separate items in a series when using commas would be unclear, such as when one or more items in the series already contain commas.

  • Our speakers will be Kevin O’Malley, an English professor; Rachel Stein, a print journalist; and Linda Wu, a blogger.

Learn with an example

Add a comma or semicolon if needed. Otherwise, submit the text without any additional punctuation.

  • The novel Ulysses by James Joyce was banned completely in the UK and the US until the 1930s _____ and off and on in Australia until the mid-1950s.

The coordinating conjunction (and) does not join two complete sentences, so do not add any punctuation.

Add a comma or semicolon if needed. Otherwise, submit the text without any additional punctuation.

  • Because singer, songwriter and music producer Smokey Robinson is credited with four thousand songs and over thirty Top 40 hits for Motown Records ___  he is known as the King of Motown.

The dependent clause (because singer, songwriter and music producer Smokey Robinson is credited with four thousand songs and over thirty Top 40 hits for Motown Records) comes before a complete sentence, so you should use a comma.

Add a comma or semicolon if needed. Otherwise, submit the text without any additional punctuation.

  • Les Deux Magots café in Paris has hosted such literary geniuses as Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre and Ernest Hemingway ___  consequently, the café remains a popular spot for tourists from all over the world.

Two complete sentences are joined with a conjunctive adverb (consequently), so you should use a semicolon.

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