What’s stronger than a comma, weaker than a period, and should be used sparingly? If you answered “semicolon,” you’re correct. Invented
by the Italian printer Aldus Manutius (1449-1515), semicolons didn’t gain widespread acceptance in Europe until the late 18th century.
Today, they are one of the most underused forms of punctuation in written English.
One way to use a semicolon is to link two independent clauses within one sentence. This is useful when you use many short sentences with
closely related ideas. By combining them, you vary the rhythm and keep your words flowing. If you use an adverb to connect the ideas,
use a semicolon prior to it; accordingly, this sentence is an example.
Wrong: Susan was mentally prepared for the trip. She had not yet packed.
Right: Susan was mentally prepared for the trip; she had not yet packed.
You may find that your independent clauses already have a conjunction, causing you to want to place a comma between them; but you have
internal punctuation within your independent clause and find the commas a bit confusing. Use a semicolon in this instance.
Wrong: Susan had not packed, yet she was mentally prepared, as well as psyched, for the trip.
Right: Susan had not packed; yet she was mentally prepared, as well as psyched, for the trip.
Another way to use semicolons, besides linking independent clauses, is to list items within a series. Semicolons will help set list
items apart, especially when there is internal punctuation.
Wrong: The trip itinerary included San Diego, California, Denver, Colorado, Dallas, Texas, and Chicago, Illinois.
Right: The trip itinerary included: San Diego, California; Denver, Colorado; Dallas, Texas; and Chicago, Illinois.
You can also use a semicolon before expressions such as that is or namely. Most often you’ll place a comma before these terms, but using
a semicolon is acceptable, as is enclosing the entire phrase within parentheses or em dashes.
Wrong: Avoid solid objects while driving, namely trees, boulders, and houses.
Right: Avoid solid objects while driving; namely trees, boulders, and houses.
The question that opened this article pointed out that semicolons are stronger than commas and weaker than periods. The examples given
show how they help keep a sentence moving by placing a stronger pause between phrases, yet they don’t cause the sentence to come to a
halt as a period would. The question also pointed out that semicolons should be used sparingly. If you find your writing to be heavy
with semicolons, you may want to do some self-editing. According to Kathy Ide, author of Polishing the “PUGS,”
many publishers “prefer that independent clauses be separated into individual sentences.”
While researching this article, I found an example of a sentence with two semicolons separating three independent clauses. Avoid that.
Replace one of the semicolons with a comma, or split the sentence in two. Multiple semicolons within a sentence should be reserved for
differentiating list items within a series, and a colon should precede the listed items.
Wrong: There was no running and shouting; all the children behaved well; therefore, they will get a treat.
Right: There was no running and shouting. All the children behaved well; therefore, they will get a treat.
If you use a semicolon to join two independent clauses, make sure they are truly independent.
Wrong: He sold more than 50 hot dogs; which was better than he expected.
Right: He sold more than 50 hot dogs, which was better than he expected.
Right: He sold more than 50 hot dogs; he almost ran out.
In the above example, the phrase “which was better than he expected” cannot stand alone; it’s not an independent clause. In this case,
you’d either use a comma, or change the sentence.
Use the Search or Find feature in your word processing program to locate your semicolons. Check each usage and determine if you’ve used
them properly. Commas are nice, and periods are good, but you may find that a semicolon fits the situation best.
About The Author:
Kelly Huckaby is The HOME Writer, a freelance writer and web
designer who lives with her husband and five homeschooled children in Oklahoma. Her work has appeared in Cross & Quill,
Homeschooling Horizons and various homeschooling newsletters across the USA and Canada as well as many online magazines.
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