Semicolon or Comma? NAME selaned with commas or semicolons. Put the proper punctuation on the blank. 1. The artist preferred to paint in oils \( \qquad \) ) he did not like watercolors. 2. Even when the house looks clean \( \qquad \) there is usually a bunch of dirt swept under the rug. 3. I'm going to leave early today \( \qquad \) unless the boss comes back from the meeting. 4. The computer can perform many calculations at once \( \qquad \) however, it cannot reason at all. 5. In the first place, it was snowing too hard to see the road \( \qquad \) in the second place, we had no chains. 6. Italy is my favorite foreign country \( \qquad \) in fact, I plan on staying there for three weeks this summer. 7. The challenges are not impossible \( \qquad \) but they are very hard to clear. 8. I'm going to do all of my English homework every night \( \qquad \) because that's how you get an "A". 9. If he misses his appointment \( \qquad \) he'll have to wait another six months to see the dentist. 10. There are many negative side effects to smoking \( \qquad \) there are no positive side effects from smoking.

1. The artist preferred to paint in oils; he did not like watercolors. 2. Even when the house looks clean, there is usually a bunch of dirt swept under the rug. 3. I'm going to leave early today unless the boss comes back from the meeting. 4. The computer can perform many calculations at once; however, it cannot reason at all. 5. In the first place, it was snowing too hard to see the road; in the second place, we had no chains. 6. Italy is my favorite foreign country; in fact, I plan on staying there for three weeks this summer. 7. The challenges are not impossible, but they are very hard to clear. 8. I'm going to do all of my English homework every night because that's how you get an "A". 9. If he misses his appointment, he'll have to wait another six months to see the dentist. 10. There are many negative side effects to smoking; there are no positive side effects from smoking. Understanding when to use semicolons versus commas can enhance your writing clarity. Semicolons link closely related independent clauses, while commas are used to separate elements and clauses. A semicolon can create a stronger connection between two ideas than a period might. One common mistake is to misuse semicolons with weak connections, leading to confusion! Remember, if you’re joining two complete sentences that can stand alone, a semicolon is your friend. However, if it’s something more casual or you’re listing items, commas should do the trick!