Four Important Ways to Use a Semicolon;
- schlesadv
- Aug 20
- 2 min read
The semicolon is one of the most misunderstood (and misused) English punctuation marks. When should you use a semicolon? Let’s learn more about the specific functions of this unique punctuation mark.
by Jennifer A. Freeman
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The semicolon appears to be a visual blend of a colon and a comma, and it can perform similar jobs to each of those punctuation marks. Its primary use is to link ideas that are closely related in thought, but that’s a task that can also be done by a comma or an em dash. In part because of this, the semicolon is one of the most misunderstood (and misused) English punctuation marks; let’s learn more about the specific functions of this unique grammatical tool.
To Connect Independent Clauses
The most common way to use a semicolon is by joining two independent clauses. That means it links together two stand-alone clauses into one sentence.
We’re going to the dance; you could borrow my dress.
Tomorrow is the big game; I can’t stay out late tonight.
In Place of a Conjunction
Independent clauses can be joined by a semicolon or by a comma and a coordinating conjunction. (Use the mnemonic FANBOYS to remember the seven coordinating conjunctions: “for,” “and,” “nor,” “but,” “or,” “yet,” and “so.”)
With Conjunctive Adverbs
Semicolons are also used to link clauses when the second begins with a conjunctive adverb or transitional expression. These include “accordingly,” “furthermore,” “however,” “instead,” “otherwise,” and “therefore.”
To Separate Items on a List
In speech, pauses or visual cues can break up long lists of items, but writers rely on punctuation to do the heavy lifting. Semicolons can make a long or complicated list of items easier to read. Typically, these are lists that contain phrases or other internal punctuation that might be difficult to read without semicolons.
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