Semicolon 2nd Usage: the Super-Comma


A semicolon has one more usage, though this is rarely tested in the SAT and the ACT.


I call the second usage “the super-comma.”


Take a look at example below:


     I went to Seoul, Korea, Paris, France, and Hawaii.


How many places did I visit?

For students who know geography well, the answer is three (Seoul, Paris, and Hawaii).

 However, for people who are unfamiliar with places, it could be read as FIVE completely different places (Seoul, Korea, Paris, France, and Hawaii)—many people in the world don’t know where Seoul is. Seoul is the capital of South Korea (a country in Asia)


To prevent this type of misunderstanding within a list, a semicolon can be used like a super-comma.


     I went to Seoul, Korea; Paris, France; and Hawaii.


Using a semicolon this way clearly divides the places and helps the reader understand the sentence better.



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