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Grammar 101: The Semicolon

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    Grammar 101: The Semicolon

    By B2B Tech Writer | Resources | Comments are Closed | 24 May, 2012 | 0

    Semicolon between parenthesesThe semicolon is a mark of separation that falls somewhere between the comma and the period in impact. Of course, you can’t just use a semicolon as a substitute for either a comma or period whenever you want. I’ll present guidelines for the two main contexts in which the semicolon can be used:

    1. Connecting Two Independent Clauses (Sentences)

    The most common use of a semicolon is between two sentences, also called main  or independent clauses. A main/independent clause is a group of words that include a subject and verb and can stand alone as a sentence because the words express a complete thought. However, these clauses can also just be part of a sentence.

    The semicolon can be used to link two sentences/main clauses/independent clauses that are related in meaning and context.

    Take these two sentences as an example:

    His marketing campaigns have attracted more than 700,000 new customers. His most successful promotion achieved revenue of $8.2 million.

    If you  use a semicolon to link the two sentences, they become this  sentence would become this: His marketing campaigns have attracted more than 700,000 new customers; his most successful promotion achieved revenue of $8.2 million.

    According to one of my favorite websites, Guide to Grammar and Writing, using the semicolon in this way also allows the writer to imply a relationship between nicely balanced ideas without actually stating that relationship.

    2. Separating a Series of Items That Contain Commas
    Although commas are usually used to separate items in a series, when the items themselves include commas, it can become confusing. In those cases, semicolons are the preferred option for separating the items.

    If you’re writing a series that consists of long or complicated elements, use a semicolon to separate each element in the series.

    Example:
    Committee members consisted of the following: John Doe, mayor of Anywhere; Jane Doe, Professor of Anthropology; Jack Doe, CEO of Widgets, Inc.; and Cynthia Doe, chairman of the safety commission.

    Note: The Associated Press Stylebook calls for the use of the semicolon with the and before the final item.

    This covers all the basic information on how to use the semicolon. For more information,  check out the “90-Second Semicolon” vidcast series on the Purdue OWL YouTube Channel.

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    Kellé Campbell is a public relations writer with more than 15 years of experience performing writing, editing, ghostwriting, and research services for clients in a variety of sectors, specializing in technology.

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