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SEMICOLONS

  • FUNCTION:

    • Semicolons are used to join two related independent clauses that are not joined by co-ordinating 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.

  • PURPOSE:

    • Semicolons join two related independent clauses.

    • 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)
  • 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

(the semicolon before the CA joins the 2 clauses; to use a comma creates a COMMA SPLICE error)

  • I.C. + , AND I.C.   

  • I.C. + , BUT I.C.    

  • I.C. + , YET I.C.

  • I.C. + , OR I.C.

  • I.C. + , NOR I.C.

  • I.C. + , FOR I.C.

  • I.C. + , SO I.C.

  • I.C. + ; HOWEVER, I.C.

  • I.C. + ; FURTHERMORE, I.C.

  • I.C. + ; MOREOVER, I.C.

  • I.C. + ; CONSEQUENTLY, I.C.

  • I.C. + ; SUBSEQUENTLY, I.C.

  • I.C. + ; HENCE, I.C.

  • I.C. + ; THEREFORE, I.C.

  • I.C. + ; THUS, I.C.

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

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

  • 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.

  • 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.