WRITING CENTER "INFORMATION PICK-UP" (S.S.C.C.)

SEMI-COLON USE

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• WHAT IS A SEMI-COLON?

• HOW IS IT USED?

• WHAT IS A SEMI-COLON?

A semicolon (located under the right pinkie--on the home keys--on a typical typewriter or computer keyboard) is a punctuation mark which does not indicate a full-stop but rather a connection. It is the only punctuation mark in English that allows a writer to connect two independent clauses.

According to Random House Webster's College Dictionary, a semicolon is "the punctuation mark (;) used to indicate a major division in a sentence where a more distinct separation is felt between clauses or items on a list than is indicated by a comma, as between the two clauses of a compound sentence."

• HOW IS IT USED?

Connecting Two Independent Clauses into one Compound Sentence

A semi-colon can connect two independent clauses (complete sentences) without the use of a coordinate or subordinate conjunction.

The one requirement for using a semi-colon in this situation is that the two sentences must be parallel--in grammatical structure (Subject + Verb; Subject + Verb) (Verb + Subject; Verb + Subject) and even have consistent verb tense.

EXAMPLES

Anthony enjoys his summers; he especially likes to swim and hike during that time.

The volleyball team will be competing in the state championships tomorrow; they will be practicing extensively today.

There is a special movie on today; there will also be freebies handed out at the theater's door.

Time magazine will release a special issue for the presidential election; Newsweek plans to do the same.

Separating Items in a List

A semi-colon may also be used to separate items in a list, particularly if the items are phrases or include commas within the items.

EXAMPLES:

We went to the specialty store in the International District and bought many items: dried bamboo leaves; sweet rice; dried tofu sheets; lop chang sausage, made with liver and pork; string; several different cuts of pork; and other foods for the special derng food.

The court's protection order prohibited the person from going within 100 feet of the petitioner; from ever calling her home or work; from sending her harassing letters; and from approaching her in any way.

(Revised 1998)