The line I'm trying to fix is The mixture contained, one piece of cashew, three almond slivers, six walnut pieces, one walnut half, and twenty-seven peanuts. I have several different pieces of software telling me different things. One says the above is correct. Another wants this: The mixture contained; one piece of cashew, three almond slivers, six walnut pieces, one walnut half, and twenty-seven peanuts. And a third is okay with this: The mixture contained one piece of cashew, three almond slivers, six walnut pieces, one walnut half, and twenty-seven peanuts. I'm thinking the semicolon is correct but every time I try to use one of those damned things I get told I'm wrong.
The third one is correct, in my view. You don't need a comma in the place indicated, and the semi-colon doesn't make sense to me.
You could also do the following: The mixture contained: one piece of cashew; three almond slivers; six walnut pieces; one walnut half; and twenty-seven peanuts. If you really want to use semi-colons, that is. But that's a bit unwieldy.
It's a full colon or nothing. A comma or semi-colon doesn't make sense; the second part isn't a new clause and the relationship is tighter than a semi-colon would allow because it wouldn't be replacing a conjunction. So either a full colon, because you are introducing a list, or nothing because nothing is needed.
It would definitely NOT be the comma after 'contained.' Either no punctuation or a colon should follow. If this is a piece of fiction, I'd go for simply leaving the first comma out, and separate the items with commas, as @Steerpike suggested. However, a colon to introduce the list, plus semicolons to separate the list is also correct, but as Steerpike also pointed out, it's a tad clunky and formal for a piece of fiction. @LostThePlot has explained the reasoning behind the usages.
Thanks for the answers. I almost expected someone to tell me that my nut description either wasn't good enough or was unnecessary.
Personally I would write: The mixture contained: one piece of cashew: three almond slivers, six walnut pieces, one walnut half, and twenty-seven peanuts. But I'm doing a proofreading course and this is just what it recommends for lists. " Rule 1a. Use a colon to introduce an item or a series of items. Do not capitalize the first item after the colon (unless it's a proper noun). Examples: You know what to do: practice. You may be required to bring many things: sleeping bags, pans, utensils, and warm clothing. I want the following items: butter, sugar, and flour. I need an assistant who can do the following: input data, write reports, and complete tax forms. " source: http://www.grammarbook.com/punctuation/colons.asp
You can never spend too long describing nuts. Anyone who tells you different is not a professional writer. ()
Without knowing the rest of the story, I couldn't say. But... A colon (full) after 'contained' unless it's for a novel, then it's optional (replaced by nothing). The only time you would use a semicolon to separate items in a list would be if one or more of the items included commas within them.
Unless you are writing non-fiction, and, particular, legal documents, where it is done all the time and sometimes required.
Use a semicolon where a complete stop or a comma would work, but you can't commit yourself to one or the other. Or never use it and simply use a complete stop or a comma. No need to overcomplicate it and start adding them willy-nilly just for show. That's when it goes all wrong.
I'm not sure if you're being serious... but, no, the semicolon isn't a sort of waffle-punctuation half-way between a period and a comma. The only times I can think of that you could use a semicolon instead of a comma is in the aforementioned list format.
I use them to stitch associated clauses; as well as separating a general from his particulars. Yeah; so too weak to be a comma, yet not hardcore enough to be a colon. Did I get that right? ^
Nope. Semi-colons have two basic functions - they can substitute for commas in a list, or they can join two independent clauses (which would be grammatically correct sentences if a period were used instead of the semi-colon. Punctuation is tricky; as well as important. - NO Punctuation is tricky; it's also important. - YES