Monday, October 21, 2019
3 More Sentences with Unnecessary Semicolons
3 More Sentences with Unnecessary Semicolons 3 More Sentences with Unnecessary Semicolons 3 More Sentences with Unnecessary Semicolons By Mark Nichol 1. Some new entrants probably need to have a deeper focus on security and privacy than they have; not least because it is only a matter of time before they, too, are regulated more closely. A semicolon is required to separate the two halves of a sentence only when both clauses are independent, but the second clause is dependent- it doesn’t have a subject, such as in â€Å"This is because it is . . . .†: â€Å"Some new entrants probably need to have a deeper focus on security and privacy than they have, not least because it is only a matter of time before they, too, are regulated more closely. 2. Infrastructure can include the following: a common risk language and other frameworks; knowledge sharing to identify best practices; common training; and integration of risk responses with business plans. In this sentence, the four items are simple, in that none of them are themselves complicated by internal punctuation, so a series of commas is sufficient to structure the organization of the list: â€Å"Infrastructure can include the following: a common risk language and other frameworks, knowledge sharing to identify best practices, common training, and integration of risk responses with business plans.†3. We can assist with the design and implementation of the mortgage-servicing requirements by providing project-management support and structure; documenting processes and identifying opportunities to address inefficiencies; and developing new and/or enhancing existing policies, procedures, monitoring programs, key metrics, and training. In this sentence, the final list item (â€Å"beginning with â€Å"and developing†) has internal punctuation, which would normally signal the need for more robust punctuation between the items. However, because each item begins with a distinct verb, the structure of the sentence is clear, so commas suffice to separate them: â€Å"We can assist with the design and implementation of the mortgage-servicing requirements by providing project-management support and structure, documenting processes and identifying opportunities to address inefficiencies, and developing new and/or enhancing existing policies, procedures, monitoring programs, key metrics, and training.†(It also helps that the complex item is the last one in the sentence.) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Redundant Phrases to AvoidBest Websites to Learn EnglishThe 7 Types of Possessive Case
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