comma or semicolon in list? / Can a colon follow a verb?

T

Tremt

Member
Portuguese
Hello guys!

This problem I have is about whether to use a comma or semicolon to separate clauses/sentence. Here is what I originally wrote with the chosen punctuation:


When Andy moved to his new home, he had a lot to do, buy new furniture for the bedrooms; sort out the electricity cables; get some new flooring as the old one was too old; paint the walls especially the one in his new bedroom, which was being used by his sister; call the internet company to set up his wifi connection, he certainly needed some help as you can imagine.


Ok, I'm hinting that I have grown in some of the punctuation, this is my reasoning for the punctuation used:

1) Comma after "he had a lot to do": I have read that a colon cannot follow a verb. In any case, I am not entirely sure that what follows is a list (of actions) as I think that a list cannot have so many long clauses.

2) Use of semicolons to separate clauses: I argued that all the clauses could stand alone in sentences and I could instead use a full stop and they'd still be able to stand. But I'm unsure as to this especially.

3) Comma after "his wifi connection": the next sentence is not part of the stuff that Andy had to do, hence the comma. However, I'm not unsure if I should use another semicolon or even a full stop.

Would really appreciate any help/input guys :)

Thanks!!
 
    • When Andy moved to his new home, he had a lot to do: buy new furniture for the bedrooms; sort out the electricity cables; get some new flooring as the old one was too old; paint the walls, especially the one in his new bedroom which was being used by his sister; and call the internet company to set up his wifi connection. He certainly needed some help, as you can imagine.
     
    Copyright said:
    When Andy moved to his new home, he had a lot to do: buy new furniture for the bedrooms; sort out the electricity cables; get some new flooring as the old one was too old; paint the walls, especially the one in his new bedroom which was being used by his sister; and call the internet company to set up his wifi connection. He certainly needed some help, as you can imagine.
    Click to expand...

    Great, thanks! Would a comma be possible to be used instead of the semicolon to separate the list of actions? Does a semicolon have to be used when the clauses can stand on their own as sentences?

    Also, I thought that no comma should precede "especially", and that a comma should precede "which"? As in, I've read those rules.


    Miss Julie said:
    Where did you read such a silly thing? There's no reason a colon can't follow a verb. The colon, as demonstrated by Copyright, is entirely correct and necessary here.
    Click to expand...

    sdgraham said:
    See this previous post:

    Semi colons in a list     (sic)

    As Miss Julie said: "Where did you read such a silly thing?"
    Click to expand...

    Guys, I read it here

    http://lilt.ilstu.edu/golson/punctuation/colon.html

    Second paragraph starting fro the bottom. What's more is that I have read this from other .edu websites and other authority sites on grammar. And they all agreed that never should a colon follow a verb. I was actually surprised to read that as I always thought that the opposite was possible. What do you guys think? Thanks to you too.
     
    Tremt said:
    Great, thanks! Would a comma be possible to be used instead of the semicolon to separate the list of actions? Does a semicolon have to be used when the clauses can stand on their own as sentences?

    Also, I thought that no comma should precede "especially", and that a comma should precede "which"?
    Click to expand...
    I would use semicolons to separate the list items because one of your items has its own comma(s).

    paint the walls, especially the one in his new bedroom which was being used by his sister

    In my opinion, you must have a comma after "walls" -- whether you want one after "bedroom" is up to you. I'll let people knowledgeable in grammar address the other points, although three of us have already said we have no problem with a colon after "to do."
     
    Copyright said:
    I would use semicolons to separate the list items because one of your items has its own comma(s).

    paint the walls, especially the one in his new bedroom which was being used by his sister

    In my opinion, you must have a comma after "walls" -- whether you want one after "bedroom" is up to you. I'll let people knowledgeable in grammar address the other points, although three of us have already said we have no problem with a colon after "to do."
    Click to expand...

    Thanks Copyright. I appreciate your input; I'm the one here who knows the very basic of grammar, so my questions are really so as to try and comprehend why things go where they go.

    Can I ask you, if there weren't any commas inside that quoted bit (for example), would still the semicolons be correct to be used to separate the list of actions? I have read the link you posted, but it talks about having commas and semicolons; what I'd like to know is why when listing all those clauses, a semicolon is correct (assuming it is), and not a comma? And why instead a comma would be used if the list were simply different objects listed. For example:

    He had to do the roof, floor, paint the walls, kitchen and bedroom.

    Why not?

    He had to do the roof; floor; paint the walls; kitchen; and bedroom.
     
    Tremt said:
    Can I ask you, if there weren't any commas inside that quoted bit (for example), would still the semicolons be correct to be used to separate the list of actions?
    Click to expand...
    No, because semicolons are not necessary for smooth reading and understanding. In a word, they're overkill. This will do:

    When Andy moved to his new home, he had a lot to do: buy new furniture for the bedrooms, sort out the electricity cables, get some new flooring as the old one was too old, paint the walls in his new bedroom which was being used by his sister, and call the internet company to set up his wifi connection.

    I would be even better to leave out the highlighted bits: you're adding reasons to a list of items, and only for two of those items. It's a bit messy.
    I have read the link you posted, but it talks about having commas and semicolons; what I'd like to know is why when listing all those clauses, a semicolon is correct (assuming it is), and not a comma? And why instead a comma would be used if the list were simply different objects listed. For example:

    He had to do the roof, floor, paint the walls, kitchen and bedroom.

    Why not?

    He had to do the roof; floor; paint the walls; kitchen; and bedroom.
    Click to expand...
    I didn't post any link, but the answer is the one I gave above: overkill.
     
    Copyright said:
    No, because semicolons are not necessary for smooth reading and understanding. In a word, they're overkill. This will do:

    When Andy moved to his new home, he had a lot to do: buy new furniture for the bedrooms, sort out the electricity cables, get some new flooring as the old one was too old, paint the walls in his new bedroom which was being used by his sister, and call the internet company to set up his wifi connection.

    I would be even better to leave out the highlighted bits: you're adding reasons to a list of items, and only for two of those items. It's a bit messy.

    I didn't post any link, but the answer is the one I gave above: overkill.
    Click to expand...

    Got ya! Many thanks, and I apologize for attributing the link to you when it was posted by sdgraham.
     
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