So far, we have talked about style in relation to: word choice, sentence length, and sentence type (keying in on using phrases and clauses). These choices help us think about tone, audience, readability, and different rhetorical effects depending on rhetorical choices we make at the level of the word and sentence.
On this page and the next page we will talk about punctuation. After that, we will talk about sentence cohesion.
The Punctuation Guide is a great reference for all of the different types of punctuation and how they are used in writing. There entry on commas can be especially helpful, as commas do so many different things in writing.
On this page, I want you to start to notice different effects of different “pausing” punctuation, these being:
- Comma
- Period
- Semicolon
- Colon
- Parentheses
- Em-dash
For instance, when we talked about phrases, clauses, and sentence type, I used this example for how different sentence types can help keep information far apart or close together:
Very Far: It was a rough day for Melissa. She had to cover a second shift for her friend at work. And now she was stranded. Because her car broke down. Great.
Far: It was a rough day for Melissa. She had to cover a second shift for her friend at work. Plus, now she was stranded at work because her car broke down.
Close: It was a rough day for Melissa, especially since she had to cover a second shift for her friend at work. Plus, now she was stranded at work because her car broke down.
Very Close: It was a rough day for Melissa, especially since she had to cover a second shift for her friend at work; now she was stranded in her broken down car.
Very close with greater pause for dependent clause: It was a rough day for Melissa–especially since she had to cover a second shift for her friend at work; now she was stranded in her broken down car.
Very close with longer pause for rhetorical triplet: It was a rough day for Melissa: she had to cover a second shift for her friend, her car broke down, and now she is stranded.
Very close with a parentheses: It was a rough day for Melissa because she had to cover a second shift for her friend at work and now she was stranded on the side of the road (her car broke down).
Read through each of the above examples. When you read, how long are the pauses?
In a comment below, rank each punctuation mark from shortest pause to longest pause you take while reading and explain why you ranked them the way you did:
- Comma
- Period
- Semicolon
- Colon
- Parentheses
- Em-dash
After commenting, click the button below to continue.
1. Parenthesis
2. Comma
3. Semicolon
4. Em-dash
5. Colon
6. Period
To start, a pair of parenthesis simply broadens an idea that was previously stated, thus I figured it was the shortest break in text. Commas and semicolons connect ideas, but semicolons are a usually for full ideas, rather lists like commas are for. Em-dashes and colons connect two separate (or similar) ideas, but in a more formal or drawn out way if that makes sense. Periods indicate the end of one thought and right after, the start of another. They require the longest pause (in my opinion).
1. Comma
1. Semicolon
1. Colon
1. Parentheses
1. Em-dash
2. Period
I’m typically not concerned with how long to pause when seeing a certain punctuation mark. However, I will always pause the longest for periods because they bring an idea to a halt, therefore I should give it the pause that it deserves, which is about one second. As for the rest of the punctuations, I usually pause for only half of a second. They are just parts of a sentence, and I don’t think there’s any difference if I pause a few milliseconds longer or shorter for any particular one.
shortest to longest
1. comma – i tend to think as a comma as a short pause and while I read it really isnt emphasized
2. Paranthesis – When I use this, i tend to quickly read the words in the paranthesis and make sure to understand it.
3. Colon – dont use colon’s that often, but when I read it I usually skim past it fast.
4. Semicolon – same as colon, I dont pay much attention to it at all.
5. Em-dash – The em-dash is usually something I tend to break words down into two and emphasize each word to make more sense.
6. Period – A classic, you have to stop and wait for the next sentence and there is a pause.
Comma – I skim straight over them when reading.
Em-dash/Parentheses – I know they’re continuing the idea so I briefly pause to digest the emphasis.
Colon – I rank it higher than parentheses for emphasis.
Semicolon – I rarely see them used, but I feel that I usually see them joining independent clauses.
Period
1. comma
2. parenthesis
3. em-dash
4. colon
5. semi-colon
6. period
Comma is the shortest because it barely even breaks up the sentence. Em-dash and parenthesis are very similar to me – in fact, I don’t really know what the difference is (is there even any?) I think the colon is often used to lable something or explain and the semi-colon is used to basically make two independent clauses more related to each other by keeping them in the same sentence technically.
Period
Colon
Em-dash
Semi-Colon
Parenthesis
Comma
I take the shortest break at commas because I feel they add drama and grammatical aspects to a sentence. Then I take the same amount of pause for the parenthesis and semi-colon stopping slightly more. And I also group together a dash or colon because I feel the author really wants you to pause when reading on of those. Lastly I stop for the longest by a period because they end sentences and ideas.
1. Parentheses: Usually, while reading I just assume that the information in parenthesis is included and complementary to the sentence
2. Em-dash: I see this as another type of parenthesis for complementary information.
3. Colon: when numerating or connecting information.
4. Semicolon: is like when you weaker version of the perdiod
5. Comma: this is what I see as the literal sign for pause.
6. Period: New sentence, significant pause, not interconnected.
1) Parenthesis
2)Comma
3)em-dash
4)semi-colon
5)colon
6)period
When I’m reading and come across parenthesis, I do not tend to pause for that long because it is just providing additional information. A comma is simply a short pause. The em-dash, semi-colon, and colon are all similar in a way. I feel like they act as connectors for two separate ideas. Lastly, a period is a full pause. Taking you from one idea to the next.
1) Parentheses
2) Em-dash
3) Semicolon
4) Colon
5) Comma
6) Period
The reason I chose this order is because I think Periods are a full pause, signaling the end of a complete though. I think Parentheses show a though with in a thought. The rest are ways to connect two incomplete thoughts.
1. Comma
2. Parentheses
3. Semi colon
4. Colon
5. Em-dash
6. Period
I believe that the comma should be the shortest pause because it simply marks a short break in a continuous sentence. The parentheses is next in line since it only indicates that the information introduced might be necessary in completing an understanding of the sentence. Semi colons and colons similarly connect two or more ideas in a sentence but the break would be longer because they are supposed to have a pausing effect. The em-dash also has a longer break but not as long as the period which represents finality.
1. parentheses
2. comma
3. semicolon
3. em-dash
4. colon
5. period
I ranked these based off how I read. The lower down on the list the more I associate the punctuations with separating two or more ideas.