In Which Of The Following Sentences Is A Semicolon Used Correctly

When students are writing essays and reports, a mutual problem is incorrectly using commas and semicolons. In fact, some people recall they are the same! Really, commas and semicolons are used in very dissimilar ways. You could say that commas intermission upward sentences. They are similar pair of scissors that cut a sentence into smaller parts. On the other paw, semicolons are like glue. They put two sentences or ideas together in a very simple way.

Take a look at the post-obit sentences:

Joshua loves iced tea.

These two sentences can be combined into ane sentence. How? You can utilize either a comma or a semicolon.

When using the comma, you must also use a give-and-take that connects the two sentences (or ideas). The most widely used word is "and." Take a look:

Margaret loves hot chocolate, and Joshua loves iced tea.

Of course you lot could utilise the word "but" or a host of other words. In addition, you must add a connecting word to make this sentence grammatically correct. Therefore, the post-obit judgement is Wrong.

Margaret loves hot chocolate, Joshua loves iced tea.

This sentence is called a run-on sentence. In other words, information technology is likewise long. For a further explanation of run-on sentences, click hither. For a further explanation of commas, click here.

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Using Semicolons

one. If you lot want to keep things uncomplicated, yous tin can use just a semicolon. Take a look:

Margaret loves hot chocolate; Joshua loves iced tea.

2. The dandy thing about semicolons is that nothing else is needed. The simply requirement is that the two sentences that are combined must be related. One could never correctly write:

Margaret loves hot chocolate; I am watching Idiot box.

These ideas are completely unrelated. Hence, they cannot be combined.

three. When a sentence contains a transitional word or phrase (see below), you can combine that sentence with the one that it refers to (or related to). For instance,

In Taiwan, people drive on the right-hand side of the route. Notwithstanding, people bulldoze on the left-hand side of the route in Hong Kong.

-OR-

In Taiwan, people drive on the right-paw side of the road ; however, people drive on the left-paw side of the road in Hong Kong.

Some Mutual Transitional Words and Phrases
accordingly	indeed	as a result
after	likewise	consequently
obviously	finally	furthermore
hence	nevertheless	all the same
meanwhile	moreover	yet
therefore	thus	for example
for instance	for this reason	on the contrary
on the other hand	that is	in improver
*Note: It is not absolutely necessary to use a semicolon with the above words and phrases. However, these are common words and phrases that may be used with semicolons

four.) If the two sentences (ideas) yous are combining accept commas or other punctuation, AND you want to use "for," "or," "only," "and," or "nor," it is better to utilize a semicolon to combine these sentences. For example, in the above sentence, we wrote:

Margaret loves hot chocolate. Joshua loves iced tea.

becomes

Margaret loves hot chocolate, and Joshua loves iced tea.

Neither parts of the sentence (chosen independent clauses) nor the original ii sentences take a comma (except the ane comma in the middle combining the two sentences). However, if ane or both of the sentences had its ain commas, and so y'all would still utilise "and" with a semicolon.

My dominate ordered new computers, printers, and scanners; simply the order was incorrectly filled.

NOTE: Although we used "just" to connect the two sentences, we used a semicolon because the first function of the sentence (the start independent clause) has its own commas.

*Source: The New Webster's Grammar Guide by Madeline Semmelmeyer and Donald O. Bolander.

Quiz

Directions: Combine the sentences using commas or semicolons. If they cannot be combined, write "CANNOT BE COMBINED."

1. Franklin is planning on going to Africa this summer.

I am going to stay home and relax.

________________________________________________

ii. Jorge is taking biology this semester.

Phil lost his books.

_______________________________________________

three. It seems that the economy is slowing down.

Consequently, Congress needs to lower taxes to get the economy going.

______________________________________________

4. I would like to take earth history, Physics 101, and English language limerick this semester.

Information technology seems that I tin can't considering of a scheduling conflict.

__________________________________________________________

one. Franklin is planning on going to Africa this summer; I am going to stay home and relax.

************************************

2. Jorge is taking biology this semester. Phil lost his books.

These two sentences cannot be combined because they are unrelated.

************************************

3. Information technology seems that the economic system is slowing downwardly; consequently, Congress needs to lower taxes to get the economy going.

Remember that the "c" in "consequently" is Not capitalized when using the semicolon considering the clause after the semicolon is Non a new judgement. It is just a role of the sentence.

************************************

4. I would similar to take earth history, Physics 101, and English composition this semester; just information technology seems that I can't because of a scheduling conflict.

Nosotros use "; but..." because the first function of the sentence contains internal punctuation (2 commas).

Rules to Remember!

one	Commas and semicolons are quite different. They cannot be used interchangeably. Report the in a higher place rules to get a full understanding of how to apply semicolons.
2	It is good to use semicolons in your writing, but don't overuse them.

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