Commas Colons and Semicolons

Sometimes but if one uses a comma in a question here it gets automatically removed.

Yes, while I am answering this question, you will be reading the answer.

This is an example sentence.

Yes, use commas to set off expressions that interrupt sentence flow.

The comma is relatively new to the punctuation family (couple hundred years old), so let's go back even farther than that. Jim has a farm and he wants to tell someone he owns this farm, so he's going to say "Jim's farm", right? Wrong. There was no such thing as ('s) to show possession. He would have to say "Jim his farm" to show possession. Fast-forward a couple hundred years and people start to say that doesn't make since, so they changed "Jim his farm" to "Jim's farm" replacing the (hi) in his with a comma. Thus the comma was created.

The funny thing about this is that women did not own anything back in the days, so you would never say "Jenny her farm" and therefore ('r) was never created. Think about it further and when someone shows possession for a female (jenny's farm) they're actually saying (Jenny his farm) replacing the (hi) in his with a comma.

If we wanted to be politically correct it should be:

Jenny'r farm

And

Jim's farm

Use a comma between "brother" and a person's name when addressing them directly. For example, "Where are you going, brother John?" or "Can you pass the salt, brother John?"

A semi-colon separates two parts of a sentence that can each stand alone; they are separate ideas. A colon declares that a list is to follow. I only have three sons: Tom, Dick, and Harry.

1. Non-restrictive clauses: provide additional, non-essential information within a sentence.
2. Transitional expressions: words or phrases that connect ideas within a sentence.
3. Direct address: when directly speaking to someone or something within a sentence.
4. Interjections: short exclamations or expressions that convey emotion within a sentence.

A compound sentence consists of two independent clauses that are usually separated by a comma, like in this example.

Two dots after a word typically signify an ellipsis, which indicates that something has been omitted from the text. It is used to show a pause in speech or writing or to indicate that there is more information that has not been included.

In series or lists like "bread, butter and jam" vs "bread, butter, and jam" there is no strict rule.

It largely depends on geography (with the US being most adherent of adding the extra comma) and also depends on medium (newspapers and magazines very rarely use extra commas before the last and/or). In general just think about it and if the series is ambiguous then add an extra comma, if not then you're free to leave it out, although if you want to add the extra comma as a personal preference then you're free to add it and still technically be correct.

Yes. Whenever you start a sentence with yes, no, a person's name, and so forth, you use a comma after it.

ex. Yes, I feel hungry.

ex. No, I don't want to swim.

ex. Alice, take this to your mother.

ex. Hey, why did you do that?

ex. Yes, sir.

In this sentence, the comma or dash can be used to set off an interrupter phrase that provides additional information but is not essential to the main clause of the sentence. This interrupter phrase adds clarity or emphasis to the sentence without changing its core meaning. The choice between a comma and a dash depends on the writer's preference for style or the desired level of emphasis on the interrupter.

No, the word "and" should not follow a semicolon. Semicolons are used to separate independent clauses; if you want to include "and," it would typically be used within one of the independent clauses separated by the semicolon.

There is no word or phrase in English that requires a comma. Sometimes a comma may go before the word but, for example if it introduces a new thought: We went straight home, but there were interruptions along the way. And sometime a comma may go after the word but: Time is money. But, as we often remind ourselves, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Some people might try to put the comma after, but it comes before.

The comma goes after the word 'because' when it is used at the beginning of a dependent clause, separating the clause from the main clause. For example: "I stayed inside, because it was raining."

No, a comma is not typically used after "therefore" unless it is being used to introduce a parenthetical phrase or to provide clarity in the sentence.

Yes, a comma is needed, because "which" is used in what is called a nonrestrictive clause, and nonrestrictive clauses require commas around them. Restrictive clauses use "that" instead of "which" and do not require commas. I've provided examples below.

Nonrestrictive clause:

I tossed the shirt, which had a coffee stain on it, into the hamper.

In this sentence, "which had a coffee stain on it" adds information about the shirt, but it is not used to identify a particular shirt.

Restrictive clause:

I tossed the shirt that had a coffee stain on it into the hamper.

In this sentence, "that had a coffee stain on it" is used to say that it was specifically that shirt that I tossed into the hamper. It indicates that one of the shirts had a coffee stain, and that was the shirt I tossed into the hamper.

While this answers more than the specific question asked, it is important to know that "which" is used in nonrestrictive clauses, and that is why the comma is needed.

You would use it when you are combining sentences without a conjunction like and or but. Or when you are listing dates, names with a description, and listing cities with state. ex, I have lived in Upland, California; Nashville, Texas; and San Diego, California. ex, I had soccer games on January 23, 2009; May 19, 2009; and December 8, 2009. ex, My friends are Mac, the soccer player; Jordyn, the softball player; and Chiara, the basketball player.

Yes. For example, "RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

The example has an exclamation point at the end of the one-word sentence, "Run!"

a comma splice is basically a sentence where punctuation marks are not placed correctly and are just placed everywhere.

Incorrect.

A comma splice is an incorrectly used comma to try to join two distinct ideas within one sentence. Changing the comma to a semicolon corrects the sentence.

a fused sentence is a sentence that has no punctuation markings anywhere amd just drag out.

Usually labelled as a Run-on Sentence, meaning many ideas not correctly separated within one sentence. Better to separate the ideas into several sentences.

Not necessarily. There is no word or phrase in English that requires a comma.

"I went to the store, because I needed milk." INCORRECT.

"I went to the store because I needed milk." CORRECT.

For sentence one, you wouldn't pause between "store" and "because," so there is no comma. That rule doesn't always apply, however.

But if you inverted the sentence, like to "Because I needed milk, I went to the store." the comma is needed because you would pause between "milk" and "I."

Yes, that's correct! Compound sentences contain two independent clauses that are joined together with a coordinating conjunction (such as and, but, or, so), along with a comma. This helps to show their relationship and create a more complex sentence structure.

1. I went to the store I bought some eggs.
2. She is a great singer, she performed at the concert last night.
3. The movie was really long, I fell asleep during the middle.
4. He likes to cook, she prefers to bake.
5. We went to the beach, it was so sunny.