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The Good, the Bad, and the Semicolon?

Asked by: Tim Bijelic

What are the three semicolon rules?

3 Ways to Use a Semicolon

  • Use a semicolon to connect related independent clauses. An independent clause is a sentence that communicates a complete thought and makes sense on its own. …
  • Use a semicolon with a conjunctive adverb or transitional phrase. …
  • Use semicolons to separate items in a list.


What are the 4 semicolon rules?

Here are the rules for using semicolons correctly; we hope you’re taking notes.

  • Semicolons Connect Related Independent Clauses. …
  • Delete the Conjunction When You Use a Semicolon Between Two Independent Clauses. …
  • Use Semicolons in a Serial List. …
  • Use Semicolons With Conjunctive Adverbs. …
  • Use a Semicolon to Give a Wily Wink.


Is it bad to use semicolons?

Here’s the rule: Whenever you have two “closely related” clauses, you can join them with a semicolon instead of separating them with a period. Think about what might define “closely related” and you’ll start to see why, in this job, semicolons are bad news.

When should a semicolon be used examples?

A semicolon may be used between independent clauses joined by a connector, such as and, but, or, nor, etc., when one or more commas appear in the first clause. Example: When I finish here, and I will soon, I’ll be glad to help you; and that is a promise I will keep.

What does semicolon tattoo mean?

But to thousands affected by suicide, the semicolon has become an important signifier of survival. Thanks to Amy Bleuel, the often misunderstood symbol has morphed from a simple punctuation mark to a badge of pride for those who struggle with depression, suicide, addiction, anxiety, and self-injury.

What is the second semicolon rule?

Rule 2: Use a semicolon before conjunctive adverbs and transitional phrases that join independent clauses. Conjunctive adverb: adverb that acts as a transition between independent clauses by showing comparison, contrast, cause-effect, sequence, or other relationships.

What is the colon rule?

The hard and fast rule is that a colon must ALWAYS follow a complete sentence. Do not use a colon after a sentence fragment, ever. A colon is used after a full sentence or independent clause to introduce something that illustrates, clarifies, or amplifies what was said in the sentence that preceded the colon.

What are some examples of semicolons?

Examples of Semicolons: Joan likes eggs; Jennifer does not. The cat slept through the storm; the dog cowered under the bed. Semicolons are also used in a sentence when something stronger than a comma is needed.

How do you use a colon properly?

Colons follow independent clauses (clauses that could stand alone as sentences) and can be used to present an explanation, draw attention to something, or join ideas together.



Colons



  1. To announce, introduce, or direct attention to a list, a noun or noun phrase, a quotation, or an example/explanation. …
  2. To join sentences.

How do you use a semicolon for dummies?

Semicolon: Use a semicolon to join independent clauses in compound sentences that do not have coordinating conjunctions (and, or, but, nor, for, so, yet) and commas as connectors. Words like however, moreover, thus, and therefore, are often used as connectors in these sentences.

When should you use a semicolon instead of a comma?

The semicolon is used when connecting two sentences or independent clauses. Unlike the comma, you do not use coordinating conjunctions, e.g., and, or, but, etc. A semicolon can also be used when connecting two independent clauses with conjunctive adverbs, e.g., however, therefore, thus, otherwise, etc.

What are 5 examples of compound sentences?

Compound Sentences

  • I like coffee. Mary likes tea. → I like coffee, and Mary likes tea.
  • Mary went to work. John went to the party. I went home. → Mary went to work, but John went to the party, and I went home.
  • Our car broke down. We came last. → Our car broke down; we came last.


What sentence structure is created when you join an independent clause and a dependent clause?

A COMPLEX SENTENCE has one dependent clause (headed by a subordinating conjunction or a relative pronoun ) joined to an independent clause.



What are 10 complex sentences?

10 examples of complex sentences

  • Don’t leave the restaurant until the dishes here are washed.
  • While playing football, the ball thrown by my friend hit the boy crossing the street.
  • Elissa was very sick today and we will take her to the hospital now, before she gets worse.

How do you write a compound sentence with a semicolon?


To use a semicolon to make them into a compound sentence we just change the period separating the two sentences into a semicolon. And change the uppercase s for she to a lowercase.

What are 50 examples of compound sentences?

50 Useful Examples of Compound Sentences

  • I want to see the movie; it’s about a girl who plays soccer.
  • She is not sure if she will succeed; she has no experience.
  • They didn’t like the food; they left the restaurant.
  • She is good at sports; she works as a trainer.
  • He was taking pictures of the game; he had a good camera.

What is a compound sentence give 10 examples?

They wanted to go to Paris, but I wanted to see London. Mary doesn’t like cartoons because they are loud, so she doesn’t watch them. I have often wanted to swim, but I can’t get my wife to go swimming. I spent all my savings, so I can’t go to France this winter.

Do u put a comma after Because?

Sentences with Positive Verbs



When the main clause of a sentence contains a positive verb, inserting a comma before because makes what follows nonessential to the meaning of the sentence: Alex ordered the book online. Robert also ordered the book online, because he was running out of reading material.



What are 20 examples of simple sentences?

20 examples of simple sentences in english

  • He doesn’t teach math.
  • You don’t have children.
  • Does he play tennis?
  • The train leaves every morning at 18 AM.
  • Water freezes at 0°C.
  • I love my new pets.
  • She doesn’t use a computer.
  • 8.It snows a lot in winter in Russia.

What are the 3 simple sentences?

Examples of simple sentences include the following:

  • Joe waited for the train. “Joe” = subject, “waited” = verb.
  • The train was late. …
  • Mary and Samantha took the bus. …
  • I looked for Mary and Samantha at the bus station. …
  • Mary and Samantha arrived at the bus station early but waited until noon for the bus.


What are the 8 types of sentences with examples?

Sentence Variety Examples: Different Types & Structures



  • Declarative Sentence. The dog bit the man. …
  • Interrogative Sentence. Did the dog bite the man? …
  • Exclamatory Sentence. Ouch! …
  • Imperative Sentence. Bite the man! …
  • Simple Sentence. I like to read. …
  • Compound Sentence. …
  • Complex Sentence. …
  • Compound-Complex Sentence.


What are 10 simple sentences?

10 example of simple sentence

  • Does he play tennis?
  • The train leaves every morning at 18 AM.
  • Water freezes at 0°C.
  • I love my new pets.
  • They don’t go to school tomorrow.
  • We drink coffee every morning.
  • 7.My Dad never works on the weekends.
  • Cats hate water.

What is 10 examples of sentences?

Here are 10 examples of sentences;

  • Mary enjoys cooking.
  • She likes bananas.
  • They speak English at work.
  • The train does not leave at 12 AM.
  • I have no money at the moment.
  • Do they talk a lot ?
  • Does she drink coffee?
  • You run to the party.

Is 20 sentences too long for a paragraph?

In academic writing, most paragraphs contain at least three sentences, although rarely more than ten. Writers and teachers generally recommend three to six sentences in length for well-structured paragraphs. Writing experts recommend using paragraphs of no more than 150 words in three to eight sentences.

What are the four types of sentences?

There are four types of sentences in the English language: declarative, exclamatory, imperative, and interrogatory. Each sentence type serves a different purpose. Understanding the different sentence types and how to use them will help improve your writing skills.