All Questions
Tagged with semicolons dashes
16 questions
0
votes
2
answers
69
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Which punctuation is best for connecting the latter longer clause in this sentence, or is the comma splice okay? [closed]
I am proofreading a colleague's work. And I know that you should use a connective/conjunction to join two clauses together rather than a comma splice, and so, in the past I have made such corrections ...
- 3
1
vote
1
answer
118
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What punctuation should you use after a list?
What punctuation should you use after a list and before describing the list? In the example below, what should I use where I have used a dash? Or is the dash correct?
"Some examples of Apple’s ...
- 11
0
votes
1
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88
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Do I use a dash or a semicolon here, or something else entirely?
Is it
"In other words, you can compare my existence in the dating world with living in the Sahara--bone dry with the occasional oasis appearing"
or
"In other words, you can compare my existence in ...
- 101
1
vote
2
answers
240
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Should we use an em dash, en dash, or semi-colon
A sentence is causing some discussion in the office - it's about a Nylon product. We are not sure if we should use an en-dash, em-dash, semi-colon, or something else entirely. I thought an em-dash was ...
1
vote
0
answers
130
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Specific Semicolon vs. Dash Case
and thanks for taking the time to read my question.
I was writing an essay not too long ago, and I ended up writing a sentence that goes like this:
As people convert to higher-paid jobs the birth ...
7
votes
2
answers
5k
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Semicolon followed by a dash;—What is it?
I see repeated use in numerous 19th printed texts and manuscripts, both British and American, of a semi-colon followed by an em dash. It is clearly a punctuation device that was used frequently in ...
- 79
3
votes
1
answer
1k
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punctuation if dash introduces question-sentences
He worried--why X; what will happen if Y?
It seems that this construction expresses the idea best, but it creates a few punctuation questions.
Should the first semicolon be question-mark? Is there ...
- 968
0
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1
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240
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Semicolon used within dashes: Making sense of "England in 1819"
I'm trying to analyse Shelley's "England in 1819", but I'm having trouble with a certain passage which features a semicolon within two dashes. I find this quite confusing, and,therefore, I'm not sure ...
1
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0
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38
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What is the correct punctuation for this sentence? [duplicate]
Yet I cannot remain in these moments for very long without being reminded of nature's harsh and unforgiving side; I think about fording a raging glacial river in Denali National Park in Alaska and ...
- 11
6
votes
2
answers
1k
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Semicolon followed by an em-dash
I recently read "The Cask of Amontillado" for pleasure, and I found this passage:
He had a weak point –this Fortunato –although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. He ...
- 185
9
votes
9
answers
22k
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Em dash vs semicolon: which is more appropriate in the following examples?
I am very confused by these, and even when I understand other people's usage of them I find it difficult to know when to employ them myself. For this reason, I am trying to make my own examples and ...
- 91
-2
votes
2
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262
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What is the best way and what are the differences to introduce a "pause explanatory" phrase inside another one? [closed]
In this example:
bla bla bla phrase such as even if something like this doesn’t exist bla bla bla.
What can I use to inject my phrase in the middle of the sentence?
,phrase, (commas)
;phrase; (...
- 165
0
votes
1
answer
3k
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"—" vs. ";" vs. "," vs. "()" — what's the difference? [closed]
All of these punctuation marks seem to have the same purpose.
Is there any general guideline for picking one for each use case?
- 391
8
votes
4
answers
1k
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When and why did the em-dash and the hyphen supplant the semicolon?
It seems to me that semicolons are rarely used today in ordinary English writing - even in newspapers and books. They appear to have been replaced, in many cases, by em-dashes and hyphens (the hyphen ...
- 551
4
votes
2
answers
5k
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What are the rules on when to use commas, colons, semicolons and dashes?
What are the rules on when to use commas, colons, semicolons and dashes?
62
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6
answers
139k
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Should I use a semicolon or a dash to connect two closely related sentences?
When you want to connect two closely related sentences, you can use a semicolon or a dash. (You can also use a dash for other kinds of non-sentential relations). How would you choose whether to use a ...
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