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"Syntax crisis"

I'm going through a syntax crisis. Basically, I'm doubting my puntuation. My use of "-" (dashes); my use of ";" (semi-colons); my use of ":" (colons); my use of "........." (dots).

I'm ever asking myself questions like: "Should I use a comma or a semi-colon, or maybe a dash, or perhaps a fullstop?"
I can't decide which, and it's beginning to get - on - my - nerves.

I'm increasingly finding myself pondering the possibilities of punctuation for long periods at a time, unable to arrive at a firm decision - at a clear distinction. (Why did I use a dash just then?)

I think I'm showing signs of Punctuophobia. Or maybe I'm becoming a Punctuomaniac.

How d'you know when the punctuation in a piece of "serious-ish" writing is correct?
How d'you judge it?

Does anyone else suffer from my "dotty" affliction?

I even dreamt last night that I was being chased by a dashing colon who kept flicking my ears with question marks.... Eventually I slowly sank in an expanse of quicksand as the dashing colon conjured visions of jumbled gobbledegook before my i's - I mean, my eyes....

Everywhere I go I see dying dots and commas on the floor, helplessly flapping and wriggling like neglected haddock on a dry riverbed.... suffocating s.l.o.w.l.y, under the pressure of - indecision; not knowing which way to turn: just twitching, and fading away.... into the insignificance of no-man's-land.

?

Rosalind wrote:
> I read a book on punctuation once, Its all common sense really. The
> trouble here is that I type so quickly, and don't bother to go back
> and vheck my posts before I hit the post button. Now my spelling,
> thats something to worry about.

"vheck"

Heh heh.

I see what you mean.

You can use a semi-colon when both sides of the sentence around it make sense on their own. If they don't, then use a comma.

You don't really have to use semi-colons anyway; commas are sufficient to use in most situations.

Put proper punctuation into this sentence (this is not a joke):-

John where Dave had had had had had had had had had had had the examiners approval

Good luck!

Hey!

Nomad I haven't seen you on here for Agggggggggggggggges. Fancy helping out in the Xbox forum. Its running very slow and hardly anyone posts there anymore.

Greetings ÂLŠ†ÂÎR. I'll try to post more in the Xbox forum when I can.