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11-2010
Commas and Colons and Semicolons - Oh My! 10 Rules to Remember
Diane B. Kraft University of Kentucky College of Law, [email protected]
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Repository Citation Kraft, Diane B., "Commas and Colons and Semicolons - Oh My! 10 Rules to Remember" (2010). Law Faculty Popular Media. 8. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/law_facpub_pop/8
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Notes/Citation Information Diane B. Kraft, Commas and Colons and Semicolons - Oh My! 10 Rules to Remember, B&B - Bench & Bar Magazine 30 (November 2010).
This commentary is available at UKnowledge: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/law_facpub_pop/8 ,II EFFECTIVE LEGAL WR ITI NG
Commas and Colons and Semicolons - Oh My! 10 Rules to Remember
by Diane Kraft University of Kentucky College of Law
omeone once said, "Commas are Corollary rule: Do Ill!t use corn- 3: (Usually)4 use commas after S personal things." In other words, mas to join independent clauses introductory and transitional some of us use a lot of commas, and not joined by a coordinating con- phrases. some of us use them sparingly. As long junction. Instead, separate the Correct: Now that I have your as we use them consistently, however, independent clauses with a semi- attention, I'd like to tell we're using them correctly. colon or period. you a little story. Incorrect: Now that I have your But what about this sentence ... Correct: Lucy was happy to be attention I'd like to tell Cora claimed Frank planned the going on vacation; she you a little story. murder. hadn't taken a day off in as opposed to this sentence ... two years. 4. Use commas to set off non-essen- Cora, claimed Frank, planned Correct: Lucy was happy to be tial or additional information. the murder. I going on vacation. She hadn't taken a day off in Correct: Her plan, as the detective If I'm Cora or Frank, I'm pretty sure tlvo years. soon discovered, was to there's a bright-line comma rule out Incorrect: Lucy was happy to be steal the money and move there, and I hope my attorney knows it. going on vacation, she to Canada. So, this month I am expanding on the hadn't taken a day off in Incorrect: Her plan as the detective theme started earlier this year by two years. soon discovered was to Helane Davis: when si>ettI
30 Bench & Bar November 2010 q
5. Use commas to set off a direct Correct: I've lived in San Antonio, It is always embarrassing for a quote ... Texas; Syracuse, New York; lower court to say whether the and London, England. time has come to disregard Correct: Justice Frankfurter said, Incorrect: I've lived in San Antonio, decisions of a higher court, not "If facts are changing, law Texas, Syracuse, New York, yet explicitly overruled, cannot be static. " and London, England. because they parallel others in Incorrect: Justice Frankfurter said which the higher court has "Iff acts are changing, law Colons expressed a contrary view .... 7 cannot be static. " 9. Use a colon to introduce a list if This is not intended to be an exhaus- ... unless the quote is part of the what comes before the colon tive treatment of comma, semicolon, and syntax of the main sentence. could be a small sentence in itself. colon use. However, if you follow these basic rules, you should be well on your Correct: Justice Brandeis reminded Correct: The dog show included all way to perfect punctuation. (j) us that "government is not my favorite breeds: collies, an exact science." beagles, and pugs. ENDNOTES Incorrect: Justice Brandeis Incorrect: The dog show included I. Example from Patricia T. reminded us that, "gov- all my favorite breeds, col- O'Connor, Woe is I: The ernment is not an exact lies, beagles, and pugs. Grammarphobe's Guide to Better science." English in Plain English 136 Corollary rule: Don't use a colon (2003). 6. Do not use a comma between a to introduce a quotation or list 2. Independent clauses are clauses that snbject and its verb. that blends into your sentence. can stand alone as separate sen- tences. The two independent Correct: In lny experience, people Correct: My favorite breeds are col- clauses in the example are who like to snowboard are lies, beagles, and pugs. (I) Simon still hadn't finished writ- almost always daredevils. Incorrect: My favorite breeds are: ing the brief, Incorrect: In my experience. people collies, beagles, and pugs. (2) his supervising attorney was who like to snowboard, are starting to get annoyed. almost always daredevils. 10. Use a colon to introduce a wholly 3. Where an independent clause can self-contained quotation. stand alone as a separate sentence, Semlculnns" a subordinate clause cannot stand Correct: Although some believe that alone as a separate sentence. The 7. Use a semicolon to separate inde- lower courts are strictly subordinate clause in the example pendent clauses when there's no bound by precedent, no is: If you help me weed the garden. and in between (this is the same as matter how ill-fitting the 4. Bryan Garner notes, "At the the corollary to rule number 1). result, Judge Learned writer's discretion, a very short Hand opposed this view: introductory phrase, usually no Correct: Lucy was happy to be more than three words, may appear going on vacation; she It is always embarrassing for a without a comma .... Whether to hadn't taken a day off in lower court to say whether the use the comma depends on how the two years. time has come to disregard writer would want the sentence to Correct: Lucy was happy to be decisions of a higher court, not sound if it were read aloud." Bryan going on vacation. She yet explicitly overruled, A. Garner, The Redbook: A Manual hadn't taken a day off in because they parallel others in on Legal Style 5-6 (2d ed. 2006). two years. which the higher court has 5. Used correctly, which indicates
Incorrect: Lucy was happy to be expressed Q contrary view .... non-essential information. going on vacation, she 6. "The semicolon, long the subject of hadn't taken a day off in Incorrect: Although some believe neglect and ridicule, may be mak- two years. that lower courts are ing a comeback," predicts Roy strictly bound by precedent, Peter Clark in The Glamour of 8. Use a semicolon to separate items no matter how ill-fitting the Grammar 76 (2010). in a list when any single element result, Judge Learned 7. Example from Bryan A. Garner, contains an internal comma. Hand opposed this view, Legal Writing in Plain English lSI-52 (2001).
November 2010 Bench & Bar 31