## Using commas in direct speech 

Always use a comma to separate direct speech from the rest of the sentence unless a question mark or an exclamation mark has been used. There will be more about direct speech in the next chapter. 

He pleaded, ‘Let’s go to McDonalds.’ 

‘I can’t,’ she replied. 

## MAKING USE OF THE SEMICOLON, THE COLON AND THE DASH 

## Using the semicolon 

The semicolon is a useful punctuation mark although it is not used a great deal. It can be used when you don’t feel you need a full stop; usually the second statement follows closely on to the first one. Don’t use a capital letter after a semi- colon. 

It was growing very dark; there was obviously a storm brewing. 

The idea of ‘a storm’ follows closely the ‘growing very dark’. A full stop is not necessary but don’t be tempted to use a comma. A semicolon can be used to separate groups of statements which follow naturally on from one another: 

The storm clouds gathered; the rain started to fall; the thunder rolled; the lightning flashed. 

A semicolon can also help to emphasise a statement: 

