Thread: What are you anal about?

Semicolons are most often used to separate two related independent clauses. Semicolons are also used in lists that would confusing if the items were separated by commas. (Ex: I visited Huston, Texas; St. Louis, Missouri; and Spokane, Washington.)

The colon is used for mainly three things which are introducing a list of independent clauses, setting up a quotation, or defining or expanding an idea. Your sentence falls under defining or expanding an idea.

(edit fuck you gwahir for being faster to explain)

edit: just in case you're confused about terminology, "independent clause" is basically a simple complete sentence that can stand on it's own.

Originally Posted by KT.

(edit fuck you gwahir for being faster to explain)

faster and sloppier

(but probably more understandable to someone not well versed in linguistic terminology (hopefully))

edit: i also forgot to say that semi-colons can be used to separate things in lists

you ought'nt, to punctuate: like this because; its wrong

you ought to punctuate like this, because it is correct

Originally Posted by Think

you ought to punctuate like this, because it is correct

No you shouldn't. You forgot the period.

Also you don't need a comma before because. (edit, actually you might be able to make a case for a comma there. Personally I wouldn't, but it's more of a stylistic choice here.)

this is why you don't take on think at english expression.

actually now that it's come up organically, one thing i'm anal about is making sure i never end sentences with prepositions. i always go back and correct myself, even if i'm just a few words into the sentence and haven't yet gotten to the end. and in writing, i never, ever abide it.

i don't correct anyone else on it, though. unless i'm trying to be a smartass, or i genuinely know they would prefer to be corrected.

edit: one thing i am not anal about is sentence fragments

That reminds me, the one thing that bothers me more than anything else (as far as grammar goes) is when someone mixes up "I" and "me", especially when they use "I" instead of "me". Ex: Jerry gave Lisa and I some books. NO

Anyone remember that goatse guy? You could drive a semi up his colon.

Just brought this thread back to anal right there!

Originally Posted by coqauvin

this community taught me to type without capital letters

hahah me too

honestly, i find all-lowercase to be friendlier, less pretentious, and, for whatever reason, funnier

all caps makes me feel like i'm keeping you all at arm's length

Originally Posted by WellAdjusted

The capital letter thing bothers me as well. Though I occasionally leave them out.

It just really gets to me when people (*cough* gwahir) can write a paragraph on grammar but leave out all the capitals.

gotta know the rules to break 'em, that's my motto

Originally Posted by coqauvin

this community taught me to type without capital letters

Microsoft Word taught me not to bother capitalizing the first word of a sentence

Originally Posted by Vengeful Scars

it'd be too hard to type in rainbow time.

A lot of my capitalization has disappeared because of this site. I don't know why, but I'll usually not start with any capitalization.

Yep, same thing happened to me.

I'd Rather See All Lowercase Than People That Type In Title Caps Always

Remember Captain Castle Used to Do This

I used to Randomly capitalize words in a Sentence. I have no Idea why.

Originally Posted by coqauvin

I know a fellow who still does this and has for years

you should try making fun of him till he stops

worked on CC

I know someone who does stuff like this . And I don't know why . It doesn't make any sense .

I dislike serial commas.

Originally Posted by KT.

That reminds me, the one thing that bothers me more than anything else (as far as grammar goes) is when someone mixes up "I" and "me", especially when they use "I" instead of "me". Ex: Jerry gave Lisa and I some books. NO

There's a word that refers to overcorrecting oneself like when someone says "I" instead of "me" because they know in some cases that that's correct but fail to realise that their correction is irrelevant to the context. Does anyone know it? I read it in a dictionary somewhere and can't for the life of me recall it.

Originally Posted by gwahir

I'd Rather See All Lowercase Than People That Type In Title Caps Always

Remember Captain Castle Used to Do This

This makes me want to murder small animals. Especially so since there's no way to correct someone who does this because they know they're grammatically incorrect but do it anyway.

When people leave empty/semi-empty bottles on their side on the floor of the shower. Then the water hits and makes that annoying ratatatatatatatatat sound and it drives me mad.

Your "thumb".....