Understanding punctuations in the English language can be quite a complex affair. Especially when dealing with the classic comma, semicolon, and colon.
The big question that many students and writers ask themselves when writing an essay or a content piece is what is the difference between these three punctuation marks?
Indeed, the three can be quite a confusing trio when using them to pen content. That’s why it’s vital to use a comma or semicolon check.
So what is the difference between the three?
We can begin by defining them:
- Comma: A comma is a punctuation mark that is used to showcase that there is a pause in different parts of a sentence. Additionally, commas are commonly used to showcase the separation of items and content in a list.
- Semicolon: A semicolon, on the other hand, is a punctuation mark used to showcase that there is a pause in a sentence. The difference is that the pause is used to differentiate between two clauses, and tends to be slightly more pronounced than that of a comma!
- Colon: Last but not least, we have a colon. It is a punctuation mark commonly used prior to listing a set of items, as well as to relay the explanation of the first clause of a sentence.
Wy Do Commas, Colons, and Semicolons Pause Such a Massive Problem to Writers?
It’s no hidden fact that writers and students alike find using these punctuation marks difficult. And that’s why a comma and semicolon check is crucial. That being said, here are some of the reasons why this is the case:
- The Issue of Run-On Sentences: Many writers and students, regardless of being native-English speakers or not, have a serious issue when it comes to comprehending the structure of run-on sentences.
So, what is a run-on sentence in the first place? In simple terms, a run-on sentence is one that contains a number of short phrases which happen to be complete sentences and come together to bring forth an incomplete sentence. For example, here is what a run-on sentence looks like:
Give him a book, give him another book, give him the third book.
As you can see, each sentence has the ability to stand on its own by simply substituting the commas for periods. So, the rule of thumb is this, if one is able to replace a comma with a period, then there is a large fault with the comma.
- Dependent Clauses: Another major issue that causes a lot of confusion are dependent clauses which can be a massive sentence changer. A dependent clause is a section of a sentence that holds no meaning on its own.
Usually, such a sentence does not have a subject of its own, hence does not make sense when isolated from the other parts of the sentence.
Hence, without a comma, a semi-colon, or a colon, the sentence can create a very complex run-on sentence that can be difficult to comprehend.
- Poor Command of Punctuation when Dealing with Grammar: If you’re not an English teacher or Literature specialist, it’s hard to remember some of the basic rules of proper punctuation that you learned years ago.
Hence, trying to remember where and when each punctuation mark is to be used can be quite difficult.
Examples of Correct Use of Semicolons in Grammar: Mistakes to Watch out for!
The golden rule that comes with appropriate use of semicolon is that it is mostly used in sentences where there are two or more independent clauses making up the sentence.
But wait a minute, what does an independent clause mean? Well, this is a special type of clause that can hold meaning on its own. For example:
- The man is a great woodsmith; he sells timber for a living.
In the example above, there are two independent clauses in the sentence. The first one being “the man is a great woodsmith” and the second being “he sells timber for a living”.
As you can see in both instances, the two clauses can stand on their own if you put a period between them.
- The man is a great woodsmith. He sells timber for a living.
- The wall is green. Anna would like to paint the wall yellow.
As you can see, there are two independent clauses that are above and are not connected with a conjunction. Therefore, by the correct use of semicolon, you can connect the two.
- The wall is green; Anna would like to paint the wall yellow.
That being said, many people tend to confuse using semicolons with dependent clauses. For example, if we were to tweak the aforementioned sentence:
- Because the wall is green; Anna wanted to paint it yellow.
This is the wrong use of a semicolon because the first part of the sentence is a dependent clause: “because the wall is green”, and this sentence fragment does express any complete and logical thought.
Why Is It Hard for People to Search for Semicolon Issues in Their Content?
There are quite a number of reasons why comprehending the use of semicolons can be difficult as compared to a sentence punctuation checker. Here they are as follows:
- Lengthy Text: If you have written extensive content, it can be quite hard to go over all the content and see all the places where semicolon errors are prevalent.
- Not enough time: Additionally, it can be quite exhausting to go through all the content because of not having enough time.
- Common human error: As human beings, we can’t always get all the content right. So, we can miss out on seeing some of the semicolon errors in our content.
Why Is It Important to Use a Comma and Semicolon Checker?
Are you looking for someone to punctuate this sentence for me online? It is easier to use a free semicolon checker because of the following reasons:
- Instant check: The application does an instant check on all your content, regardless of how long it is, and snuffs out any instances of semicolons being wrongly used. This ensures proper use of semicolon check.
- The services are free and work online: Using the colon vs semicolon checker is free and you can use it online to check all your content.
- No need to download anything: There are no downloadable issues with the comma checker online free service so you don’t have to worry about malware.
- Wide range of services: Apart from having a semicolon check, the best free grammar and punctuation checker also comes with word choice, passive voice, word count check, grammar and spelling check, and plagiarism check.
- Can be used as a Chrome extension: Additionally, you can check punctuation online free as part of your chrome extension to seamlessly review your content whilst you are online.