OUR FRIEND, THE SEMICOLONSarah Farbacher30202

2 USES FOR THE SEMICOLON

•Combine sentences without a conjunction

•Organize a long list ;

Let’s start with a basic sentence…•I like to wake up early.

And expand a bit…•I like to wake up early. I enjoy watching the news and drinking coffee.

•2 independent ideas separated by a period.

Let’s combine them…•I like to wake up early, I enjoy watching the news and drinking coffee.

•NO NO NO! •That is a comma splice!

We could use a coordinating conjunction…

•I enjoy watching the news and drinking coffee, so I wake up early.

•Note the use of a coordinating conjunction (so) plus a comma.

Or we could subordinate an idea•I wake up early because I like to watch the news and drink coffee.

•The comma disappeared because we added a subordinating conjunction (because)•The second clause is dependent on the first

Or we could use a semicolon!•I like to wake up early; I enjoy watching the news and drinking coffee.

•Notice there is no coordinating or subordinating conjunction.•Just a semicolon!

My favorite color is red; and I also like blue.Is this a correct usage of a semicolon?

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91%

9%

1. Yes2. No

Conjunctive adverbs•Sometimes a semicolon is followed by an adverb (however, moreover, nevertheless, consequently, as a result)

•I enjoy watching the news and drinking coffee; as a result, I wake up early.

Notice the pattern…

; as a result,semicolon + conjunctive adverb +

comma

Which of the following is necessary when using a conjunctive adverb?

1 2 3 4

8%0%0%

92%

1. A period2. A comma3. A noun phrase4. A dash

Crazy long lists•Semicolons can also be used to sort out long lists in a sentence.

•The Pittsburgh Penguins first line includes Sidney Crosby, center, from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Chris Kunitz, right wing, from Regina, Saskatchewan, and Pascal Dupuis, left wing, from Laval, Quebec.

Organized crazy long list•Semicolons are inserted at the end of related ideas (i.e. player, position, hometown;)

•The Pittsburgh Penguins first line includes Sidney Crosby, center, from Halifax, Nova Scotia; Chris Kunitz, right wing, from Regina, Saskatchewan; and Pascal Dupuis, left wing, from Laval, Quebec.

Does the following sentence use semicolons correctly?

At the store I bought shiny, green apples; fragrant, fresh oranges; and sweet, red grapes.

1 2

0%

100%

1. Yes2. No