Things You'll Need:
- A little extra attention when you write.
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Step 1
A semi-colon looks like this ---> ; It goes between complete sentences that are somehow related. For example: "Fred called the restaurant; he was hungry." Those are 2 complete sentences that are related; the semi-colon goes between them. You could also put a period between them. You CANNOT put a comma between them. That is a run-on sentence.
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Step 2
So what is a complete sentence? A complete sentence has a subject, a verb, and is a complete thought. it can be long or short, as long as it has those three things. "I ran," is a complete sentence. So is, "Because I was afraid that the car up ahead of me rolling down the hill and about to crash through the jewelry store window was mine, I ran." So, as you're writing, check: is there a verb? Is there a subject for that verb? Does the thought seem finished? (Hint: "Because I ran" - not complete thought.) If so, you have a complete sentence.
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Step 3
A sentence needs punctuation at the end before you go on to the next sentence. You need a period, an exclamation point (if it's exciting!), a question mark (if it's a question?), or a semi-colon. Those are the ONLY choices. You may not use a comma between sentences.
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Step 4
So use a semi-colon just as you would a period. The advantage is that it connects the sentences in a way a period does not, and it lets you vary the length of your sentences, to make your writing more interesting. it also makes you look very smart and classy.
