Writing for Business - A Whatis.com Blog » MRP systems http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business Is your grammar as good as your code? Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:09:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Semicolons and complex lists http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/semicolons-and-complex-lists/ http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/semicolons-and-complex-lists/#comments Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:09:56 +0000 Ivy Wigmore http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/semicolons-and-complex-lists/ Which is correct?
An MRP system should satisfy three objectives: ensuring that materials and products are available for production and delivery; maintaining the lowest possible level of ___________ planning manufacturing activities, delivery schedules and purchasing activities.
a. inventory and
b. inventory; and

Answer: b

Explanation:
In a list of complex items, the semicolon helps clarity by clearly identifying the separate items in the list — that’s why it’s used instead of a comma between the items, as well as why it’s used along with the conjunction and before the last item. The general rule is to use a semicolon to separate list items if one of your items already contains a comma and to use one before the conjunction if the items are complex.

Grammar Girl Mignon Fogarty offers more information about the uses of semicolons.

Follow us on Twitter @tao_of_grammar

]]> http://itknowledgeexchange.techtarget.com/writing-for-business/semicolons-and-complex-lists/feed/ 2