How to Know If You're Using a Semicolon Properly

The semicolon offers a wide range of applications.

One of the rarer punctuation marks in English, the semicolon often goes unused by writers unsure of its proper place. While most simple paragraphs get by with commas and periods alone, the semicolon has a vital place in crafting longer and more complex phrases. The occasional use of a properly situated semicolon will impress teachers or provide your readers with a better understanding of your meaning.

Instructions

1. Place a semicolon between two independent clauses without a conjunction. Amateur writers often use commas to join two parts of a sentence that actually require a semicolon. Instead of writing, "He fell down, his ankle was twisted," write, "He fell down; his ankle was twisted." When using the semicolon in this manner, consider carefully whether the clauses would read better as separate sentences instead. Only join them with a semicolon if the clauses are closely related.

2. Use a semicolon instead of a comma when joining independent clauses with a conjunctive adverb, such as "however," "therefore" or "nevertheless." Be careful not to switch in a semicolon for a comma when joining dependent clauses. In the sentence, "The wall, however, did not break," the "however" requires a comma because the two parts, "the wall" and "did not break," do not make sense without each other.

3. Join lists with semicolons when items in the list contain commas. This avoids confusion between the boundaries of listed items. Consider the following list of locations: "Denver, Colorado, Boston, Massachusetts, Austin, Texas, Portland, Maine." The required commas between city and state muddle the list items. By dividing the list with semicolons instead, the meaning becomes clearer: "Denver, Colorado; Boston, Massachusetts; Austin, Texas; Portland, Maine."

4. Replace commas preceding conjunctions with semicolons if the sentence contains numerous commas in each clause. There's no set rule about the number of commas required before swapping in a semicolon, but consider the readability of the sentence. If a reader may incorrectly read the conjunction as part of a list within the first clause, place a semicolon before it to set it apart.

Tips & Warnings

• Quickly check the validity of a semicolon joining independent clauses by mentally replacing it with a period. If either of the two sentences split by this period doesn't make sense or sound complete, the pair aren't independent clauses and require a comma instead.

References

• The Writing Center at the University of Wisconsin: The Writer's Handbook -- Using Semicolons
• Purdue University: Commas Vs. Semicolons in Compound Sentences