Should a list be separated by commas or semicolons?

Use a semicolon between items in a list or series if any of the items contain commas. Use a semicolon between independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction if the clauses are already punctuated with commas or if the clauses are lengthy.

Do you use semicolons in a numbered list?

Semicolons link sentences. They complicate sentences for users if overused. Do not use them at the end of bullet and numbered list items.

How do you use commas and semicolons in a list?

Separating items in complex lists However, if the items themselves contain commas (or other punctuation such as dashes), semicolons are used instead of commas to divide them. This helps readers keep track of the division between the complex items within the list.

Do you use commas when listing numbers?

When listing three or more items, include a serial comma (also known as an Oxford comma) before the last item and the conjunction “and” or “or.” If one or more clauses contains commas in them, use a semicolon instead of a comma to separate the clauses.

How do you separate a list with commas?

When making a list, commas are the most common way to separate one list item from the next. The final two items in the list are usually separated by “and” or “or”, which should be preceeded by a comma. Amongst editors this final comma in a list is known as the “Oxford Comma”.

How do you separate items in a list?

To separate the items in a list. Punctuation is used to separate the items in the list. The usual way of doing this is to place a comma after each item in the list: The school has a vegetable garden in which the children grow cabbages, onions, potatoes, and carrots.

Can I use semicolons to separate items in a list?

Use a semicolon to separate items in a list in cases where one or more of the items contains commas or other punctuation. However, if one or more of these items contain commas, then you should use a semicolon, instead of a comma, to separate the items and avoid potential confusion.

How do you punctuate a numbered list?

Punctuate the lead-in with a colon. Use numbered lists when the list items are in a required order (for example, chronological) or must be referenced from somewhere else in the text. Type the number followed by a period; do not use parentheses on the number.

How do you punctuate a list in a list?

Punctuation is used to separate the items in the list. The usual way of doing this is to place a comma after each item in the list: The school has a vegetable garden in which the children grow cabbages, onions, potatoes, and carrots. The last item in a list is often preceded by the words and or or.

How do you write a list in numbers?

Use parentheses around the numbers (no periods after the number, though) when using a run-in list: I have three items to discuss: (1) the first item; (2) the second item; and (3) the third item. Use semicolons to separate the items, whether they’re expressed as fragments or full sentences.

How do you use a semicolon in a list?

Listing items Semicolons can be used to link items in a list, such as objects, locations, names and descriptions. Where the list items already contain commas, a semicolon helps avoid confusion between the items; in this way the semicolon acts like a ‘super comma’.

Can you separate a list with semicolons?

When to use semicolons instead of commas in a list?

Another use of semicolons to separate items in a series when the items in the list themselves contain commas. LeTourneau, citing Geoffrey Nunberg, states that when semicolons substitute for commas is a series it is called “promotion to semicolon” (English Grammar 278).

How do you separate items in a list without using commas?

The Quick Answer. It is usual to use commas to separate the items in a list. However, when the list items themselves contain commas, you can “outrank” those commas by using semicolons as the separators for your list items. This list would be written like this: John, Simon, and Toby.

Do you put commas before or after list items?

Commas in Lists (Grammar Lesson) The Quick Answer. When there are two items in a list, don’t use a comma to separate the list items (unless it helps your reader). If there are more than two list items, then those following US convention should use a comma before the conjunction (usually and or or).

How do you sum up a list with commas?

Summing up. If your list is simple, use commas to separate the items. Example: Last night Regina saw a mouse, a wizard, and a tomato. If your list is simple, you can also use a colon to introduce the list and commas to separate the items.