Commas Colons and Semicolons

It can be used, but not very often. Example:

He has pears and oranges

You do not normally see:

He has pears and, oranges.

In this case:

He has pears, apples, durians, and, some oranges.

It is not used regularly, but some people use it after they have been 'listing', as in this case, where I am listing fruits.

No, names are not set off with commas unless they are part of a list or if a title follows the name. For example, "John Smith" or "Dr. Jane Doe" do not require commas.

A comma is typically placed before the word "but" when it is connecting two independent clauses. If "but" is used to connect two elements within a single clause, a comma is not needed.

It is not common to use a semicolon before a comma in writing. Semicolons are typically used to separate independent clauses or items in a list. If you feel the need to use both punctuation marks in a sentence, it may be a sign that the sentence could be rephrased or structured differently for clarity.

In American English, if the phrase is part of the quotation, the comma goes inside the quotation marks. For example: He said, "I will be there soon."

Yes, in a series of words separated by "and," use a comma before the final "and" to separate the items clearly. This is known as the Oxford comma and is typically used in American English for clarity and to avoid confusion in longer lists.

Yes, typically a comma is used before "and" when connecting items in a list. This is known as the Oxford comma, and it helps to clarify the separation between items. For example: "apples, bananas, and oranges."

The sentencing for a hit and run can vary depending on the circumstances and severity of the incident. Penalties can range from fines and license suspension to imprisonment, particularly if someone was injured or killed in the accident. Hit and run is considered a serious offense in most jurisdictions.

It can be either way, although it is more common to leave out the comma. The comma, if used, is called the Oxford comma, the Harvard comma(,) or the serial comma, where the first two refer to prestigious universities and the third refers to the series of items.

Yes, you can place a comma after "thus" if it is used at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a result or conclusion. For example, "Thus, we can conclude that the experiment was a success."

In an example like this...

I like dogs; nevertheless, I adopted one today.

A comma is generally used before "which" in non-restrictive clauses, but not when it introduces a restrictive clause. As for dates, it is common to include a comma after the year when it is followed by additional information in a sentence.

A colon is used to emphasize a specific part of a sentence; the part of the sentence before the colon must be able to stand by itself as its own sentence, however,

Example: I could think of only one thing that day: the math test waiting for me in sixth hour.

A semicolon is used to hook together two closely-related independent clauses (sentences) that would sound too choppy when separated by a period but cannot be connected by a comma because they are able to stand alone as their own sentences.

Example: Jessica is my best friend; she has always been there for me.

Sentences shouldn't start with the words 'and' or 'but'. However, this rule is often overlooked for dramatic or other purposes. When it is done though, a comma should usually be placed after the words 'and' or 'but'.

A good guide to remember is that if you can remove the part of the sentence between the commas and it still makes sense, then you have placed the commas in the correct places.

In general, a comma is used before coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, so, for, nor, yet) when joining independent clauses, in lists, after introductory phrases, and to offset appositives or non-essential information. Be mindful not to overuse commas, as they can disrupt the flow of your sentence.

The comma goes before "and". However, this is only when "and" is followed by an independent clause. The comma is not needed for dependent clauses.

A semicolon is used to indicate a moderate pause in a sentence. It's primary purpose is to join together two independent clauses. For example: "I like to eat hotdogs; they go well with ketchup." Both clauses before and after the semicolon can function independently in their own separate sentences, and so a semicolon is appropriate to use to join them together in this case. A semicolon should not be used in place of or alongside conjunctions, such as "but, or, and" etc.

The comma typically comes before the conjunction "but" when it is used to connect two independent clauses. If "but" is used to connect two words or phrases within a single sentence, a comma is not necessary.

Yes, when naming a state in a sentence, a comma should be placed after the city and before the state. For example: "I live in Chicago, Illinois."

Depends, really. If you're inserting the title of a novel, then yes. If you're inserting a quote and still continuing with the the sentence, then yes. If you're at the end of the sentence, then all you need is a period.

A comma typically comes before "because" when it is used to introduce a dependent clause in a sentence.

In a compound sentence, the comma would be placed before the word but.

A comma should typically come before the word "but" when it is used to connect two independent clauses. If "but" is used to join two elements within a single clause, then a comma is usually not necessary.

The sentence should be: "He always said, 'Now is the time to take action.'" The correct version includes quotations marks to indicate direct speech and proper punctuation for clarity.