comma, semicolon

Share on Facebook

Teo

#344505 Wed, 28 Mar 07 11:37 AM

1. Forget him, he's not worth it. 2. I hated high school; I just want to forget about it.

The above two sentences are quoted from the same dictionary. It seems that they have the same structure. Why use a comma in #1 and a semicolon in #2?

Joined on Tue, Sep 28 2004

Taiwan

Contributing Member (1,607)

Thank you very much for your reply.

Mister Micawber

#344540 Wed, 28 Mar 07 01:19 PM

I wouldn't use a comma in the first if I were writing carefully; informally, such comma splices are common.

Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004

Yokohama

Veteran Member (20,176)

'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'