How to Use a Semi-Colon
Using punctuation marks properly is an important part of proper and effective grammar. Semi-colons make long, compound sentences easy to understand. Some people may find semi-colons intimidating, but it is actually easier to use than commas and other punctuation marks. Here are some rules you have to keep in mind when using semi-colons.
Breaking Two Independent Clauses
The most common use of a semi-colon is to break a compound sentence composed of two independent clauses. Independent clauses are short sentences or phrases that can stand alone, but are used in one sentence. Two independent clauses are used to create one form of the compound sentence.
While it’s better to treat two independent clauses as two separate sentences, you may need to use them as a single sentence. To make the compound sentence easier to understand, you need to break the sentence apart with a semi-colon.
Consider this example:
Your body is made up of 75% water; you should keep yourself hydrated to keep your body healthy.
In the sentence above, there are two independent clauses. The first clause refers to water content in the body, while the second clause refers to health habits. Both these clauses can stand as they are as single sentences, but they are related enough to be used in a single compound sentence. The semi-colon is used to separate the two clauses, but still treat them as part of one complete sentence.
Internal Punctuation
If you’re writing a series of examples involving dates or proper place names, semi-colons should be used in place of commas. If the example contains internal punctuation, the semi-colon serves the purpose of separating elements in a series of examples.
Consider this example:
The three most populous cities in the world are Mumbai, India, with 13.9 million people; Shanghai, China, with 13.5 million people; and Karachi, Pakistan, with 13 million people.
The sentence above has commas and periods used as internal punctuation, but each example cannot stand alone. It would be awkward and difficult to read the sentence if commas are used, so semi-colons are used instead to separate the examples.
Sentences With Transitional Phrases
A transitional phrase is often used to connect two clauses together in a single sentence. A transitional phrase often takes the form of a conjunctive adverb, which shows a relationship between the two clauses. Some common examples of conjunctive adverbs include the phrases “however,” “anyway,” “that is,” and “therefore.”
Consider this example:
Democracy is the best form of government in the world; however, many people think otherwise.
The sentence above contains two independent clauses, and the sentence describes a contrast and a relationship between two opinions about democracy. The conjunctive adverb “however” separates the thoughts of both clauses. When using a conjunctive adverb in a compound sentence, the word or phrase should always be preceded with a semi-colon, and followed by a comma.
Semi-colons may not look like much, but they help you to communicate ideas clearly and effectively. With these tips to help you use semi-colons, you can convey even the most complicated ideas in a single sentence.