SEMICOLONS

* FUNCTION: Semicolons are used to join two related independent clauses that are not joined by co-ordinate conjunctions. That is, either the semicolon will join the two or the conjunction will, not both.

Ex. Jerome liked to eat pizza every Friday; Miranda liked to

eat chicken wings.

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* PURPOSE: Commas are not strong enough to join sentences; they need their "older brother who is on steroids" to perform such a function.

*HINT: Remember how we corrected COMMA SPLICE errors:

· use a period

· use a comma + coordinating conjunction

· use a semicolon (not a semicolon and a coordinating conjunction)

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*PUNCTUATION: Use a semicolon before a CONJUNCTIVE ADVERB when it starts the second of 2 independent clauses; a comma always comes after the conjunctive adverb.

COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS

(use a comma before the CC because the conjunction actually joins the independent clauses)

CONJUNCTIVE ADVERBS

(to use a comma creates a COMMA SPLICE error)

I.C. + , AND

I.C. + , BUT

I.C. + , YET

I.C. + , OR

I.C. + , NOR

I.C. + , FOR

I.C. + , SO

I.C. + ; HOWEVER,

I.C. + ; FURTHERMORE

I.C. + ; MOREOVER

I.C. + ; CONSEQUENTLY

I.C. + ; SUBSEQUENTLY

I.C. + ; HENCE,

I.C. + ; THEREFORE

I.C. + ; THUS,

EXCEPTION: Follow the rule of Conjunctive Adverbs with the following:

o accordingly, also, besides, indeed, instead, nevertheless, nonetheless, otherwise, similarly, still, firstly/secondly/thirdly

o on the contrary, on the one hand, on the other hand, for example, for instance, that is, in fact, in truth

EXCEPTION: Use semicolons instead of commas to separate items in a series that have commas within each item; because the items have commas within them already, adding more commas results in confusion and actually negates their purpose to separate clearly each item.

o The following students were ranked at the top of the graduating class: Mike Smith, 4.0; Janice Zerowe, 4.0; Geoff Freund, 3.9; Kevin Braun, 3.85; Genny George, 3.75; and Francine Belgium, 3.70.

EXCEPTION: Semicolons are placed outside quotation marks.