The Semicolon July 20, 2009
Posted by egutierrez in : Punctuation , trackback(1) The semicolon (;) is used to connect two complete sentences (independent clauses) that are closely related. For example,
Neil Armstrong was the first person to set foot on the moon; Buzz Aldrin was the second.
Notice that we have two complete sentences here separated by a semicolon. We can also use a comma and a conjunction (and, but, or, nor, yet) to connect these two sentences, as in
Neil Armstrong was the first person to set foot on the moon, and Buzz Aldrin was the second.
Be careful, though, that you don’t confuse the two methods of connecting complete sentences together. If you use a semicolon, connect the sentences as is without any type of conjunction. If you prefer to use a conjunction, notice also that a comma is used before a conjunction.
(2) There is one exception, though. If you connect two complete sentences with a conjunction, and one of the sentences already contains a comma, you can use a semicolon to connect them. For example,
When the Apollo 11 lander touched down, Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon; and Buzz Aldrin became the second.
(3) You can also use a semicolon to connect two complete sentences when the second sentence begins with a conjunctive adverb (words like however, therefore, thus, furthermore, moreover) or a transitional phrase such as in fact or as a result. For example,
Buzz Aldrin was proud to have set foot on the moon; however, he wasn’t the first person to do so.
Notice here that a comma is used after the conjunctive adverb. Be sure not to omit it whenever using the semicolon-conjunctive adverb combination.
(4) Finally, you can use a semicolon to separate a series of phrases or sentences when they themselves contain lists separated by commas. For example,
Elated about being the first person to land on the moon, Neil Armstrong bolted onto the rocky surface; observed the stars, the Earth, and the barren lunar landscape; and told Buzz Aldrin how much he loved space, how he wanted to drive the lunar rover, and how he wished he could resay his famous “one small step for man” line.
**Adopted from Simon & Schuster’s Handbook for Writers, Third Edition, by Lynn Quitman Troyka
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