Semicolon
Read the following sentences:
- Mary went to church and Mark went to the library.
- I ordered a new pair of jeans but they do not suite me.
In the sentences above, the succeeding sentences in each pair say something or the other about the preceding ones. The conjunctions ‘and’and ‘but’ in sentences 1 and 2 respectively combine the otherwise independent pair of sentences to make them appear as one single sentence. The resulting sentences thereby formed is called a compound sentence.
It is also possible to merge two independent sentences into one without using any conjunction. But simply removing the conjunctions and merging them can be barring to the reader as they may not make any sense.
How do we join two independent sentences without conjunctions?
This is when punctuations come to the rescue. A punctuation called the semicolon, is used to join two independent sentences without any conjunction in a way that they appear as one single entity and also make sense to the reader.
Let us know more about the semicolon.
Semicolon:
To put it in a simple way, a semicolon is a period stacked on top of a comma (;). But that is only its appearance.
The semicolon is most commonly used to join two independent clauses without the use of a conjunction such as ‘and.’Semicolons cannot be used in place of commas or periods. Instead, they’re somewhere in the middle: let’s say more powerful than a comma but not as divisive as a period.
It is mandatory for the words preceding the semicolon to form a complete sentence. Likewise, the words following the semicolon should also form a complete sentence, so that the two sentences share a close, logical connection, like:
- We are having dinner; he will do the dishes afterwards.
- He is an excellent, talented player; the team board will soon announce him the Captain.
- Money cannot buy you happiness; it can help you lead a luxurious life.
A semicolon is also used to separate a series of loosely related clauses, like:
- “Her court was pure; her life serene;”
- “God gave her peace; her life reposed.”
Moreover, nevertheless, however, otherwise, therefore, then, finally, likewise, and consequently are called conjunctive adverbs. When the second sentence begins with either a conjunctive adverb or a conjunction, a semicolon should be used instead of a period, like:
- I went out to take a walk; also, I needed to get some cheese.
- Marco prepared day in, day out for the test; nevertheless, he couldn’t score the points he expected.
Related topics
Informational Text – Features, Types with Examples
What is an Information Text? Any piece of writing falls under the category of fiction or non-fiction. Fiction is a work of imagination (made up story), whereas non-fiction is based on facts and actual events or real people. Informational texts are non-fiction works that inform the readers about a specific topic. They are found in […]
Figurative Language : Types and Examples
Figurative Language What is Figurative Language? A language that describes something by comparing it with something else, you are using figurative language. Types of Figurative Language: Imagery The Language that appeals to the senses. Descriptions of people or objects are stated in terms of our senses. Simile It includes a straight comparison between two unlike things, […]
Types and Uses of Punctuation Marks with Examples
Imagine reading a story with no full stops, no commas, and no question marks! You will not be able to understand what it meant. It would feel messy and hard to follow. That is where punctuation marks come in. They help organise our thoughts and make writing easier to read. They show pauses, expressions, and […]
Naming Words for Class 2: Simple English Guide
Naming words are names of people, animals, birds, places or things. E.g. Leo, Rat, Crow, London, Book Four types of naming words E.g. Leo, Andrea, Father, Mother E.g. School, London, Park, New york E.g. Tiger, Monkey, Cow, Parrots E.g. Box, Pen, Apples, Car Everything that we can touch, feel, see and talk about is represented by […]
Other topics
Comments: