You may not share the enthusiasm of grammar buffs that have group sites just to have lengthy dialogues about grammar, but as an author, you don't just want to keep your prose error-free. You want to make it sting, pop, and sizzle. Each point of punctuation has untapped power to make your writing more expressive.
The semi-colon. The terrifying semi-colon should tell your reader that two ideas relate to each other, but could stand on their own. You use them instead of "and," or to emphasize the contrasting, restating, or expanding relationship between two sentences. E.g.: "Thomas travels the world searching for new words; he cannot live without a new morpheme." The semicolon allows the reader a deeper look at a subject, without the interruption of a new sentence. It unites ideas, where a period would place them further apart.
The colon. A colon tells the reader that the second part of the sentence flows logically from the first. Unlike semicolons, colons can connect dependent clauses, which cannot stand alone, to independent clauses. E.g.: "Brian lives at peace with everyone, except for one small group of individuals: spiders."
When separating two independent clauses, or complete sentences, the author decides how to punctuate, based on his tone. E.g.:"Peter did not just sing. He opened his mouth and happiness came out." A period's long pause emphasizes each phrase on its own. You may prefer to bring Peter's singing and happiness closer, emphasizing that one follows the other, with a colon after 'sing.'
Because a semi and a colon are sometimes interchangeable, you could think of a semi as general and a colon as specific. The semicolon's softer pause sets up almost any relationship between clauses; a stronger colon says the second idea must follow the first.
Commas are a whole other animal. Comma rules need pages to explain, but in general, when not separating lists or establishing pauses before conjunctions, commas make nonessential parts of a sentence contribute to description without confusing the reader. Here are some examples:
Poor: "When I gave SW the apple, she had a runny nose, she sang too loudly."
Good: "When I gave SW the apple, she had a runny nose. She sang too loudly."
Finally, do not forget the power of the period. When sentences stand alone, they stand out. Don't bury your strongest language in commas; use them to establish rhythm. Read your work aloud to yourself, pausing lightly at commas and semicolons, waiting longer at colons, and stopping at periods. Punctuation should be natural and logical. Action moves faster in choppy sentences. Longer, comma-strewn, ornate sentences slow down the action, engage the reader in thoughtful discourse, and immerse her in description.
You’re certainly right about that! To learn more about the persnickety world of grammar, check out our article Grammar: Common Mistakes to Avoid.
Thanks, Jen. Great reminders. It's sometimes difficult, just maintaining consistency, where commas, colons, and semi-colons are concerned.
Thank you, useful guide.