Page 1 of 1
Comma or Semi-Colon?
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 4:45 am
by Kimberlysh
I've been going back and forth on the following sentence and I'm hoping someone can help me decide if the two commas are correct or if I should just add a semi-colon after favorite:
It’s a twist on an old favorite, made with old-fashioned oats and plump juicy raisins, for a simple treat that doesn’t require baking.
Any help is appreciated. I've looked at it so long it's making my head spin.
Thanks,
Kim
Re: Comma or Semi-Colon?
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 7:57 am
by TomBarth
I prefer it as you've shown it. The semi-colon variant seems wrong (and perhaps a tad too formal for the context and style that I sense here...)
Tom
Re: Comma or Semi-Colon?
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 4:30 pm
by Celeste Stewart
Hmmn, I'm not sure the problem is with punctuation. If we temporarily cross out the middle phrase, we can see that the other two phrases don't really connect properly:
It’s a twist on an old favorite for a simple treat that doesn’t require baking.
Since that doesn't quite make sense, I think we need to tweak the whole sentence. Here are some ideas that might work (depending on the surrounding sentences):
Made with old-fashioned oats and plump juicy raisins, this recipe is an old favorite with a twist: no baking required.
This simple treat, which doesn't require baking and is made with old-fashioned oats and juicy raisins, is a twist on an old favorite.
It’s a twist on an old favorite, complete with old-fashioned oats and plump juicy raisins; it's also a simple treat that doesn’t require baking.
Re: Comma or Semi-Colon?
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 4:33 pm
by Kimberlysh
Thank you Tom. I really appreciate your help. That was my first instinct but then I started anaylzing it and just couldn't decide.
Kim
Re: Comma or Semi-Colon?
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 4:37 pm
by Kimberlysh
Celeste, I see what you mean. I guess I better rethink the whole sentence.
Thanks for your help,
Kim