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lostandfound

lostandfound

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 30, 2011
924
44
I know a lot of you, like myself, take pride in a venerable vocabulary, proper pronunciation, and perfect punctuation.
So could somebody please tell me how, and when, to use a semi-colon?

 
captainsousie

captainsousie

Lifer
Aug 1, 2012
4,604
5,161
I have found this page to be helpful and informative on the use of semicolons; however realize that not all grammarians completely agree on the use of the semicolon.

 

mick

mick

Can't Leave
Aug 13, 2012
343
0
In my experience, the biggest misuse of a semi-colon comes when people mistake an adverb for a conjunction. Some examples:
  1. I went to the store to buy peanut butter; however, they were all sold out.[/*]
  2. We were going to buy every tin of Samuel Gawith we could find; instead, we decided on Captain Black.[/*]
  3. I was not angry; rather, I was upset.[/*]
Note: the bolded words are adverbs, not conjunctions (like "and" or "but") and so they cannot join two sentences.
The other common use is to make lists after a colon. For example
  1. There are a bunch of tobaccos I would love to try: 3 Oaks Syrian, for a taste of latakia; Orlik GS, to get a taste of a true and pure Virginia; Grousemoor, for a traditional (and not sickly) aromatic; Squadron Leader, as a representative of a traditional English blend.[/*]
That's basically it; you'll find it's quite simple.

 
juvat270

juvat270

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 1, 2011
557
1
I use it mostly to join two complete sentences that are related; this is an example.
Click to expand...
I had an English teacher in high school who made us memorize this sentence: "I know how to use a semi-colon; it is used correctly in this sentence." :puffy:

 
puffy

puffy

Lifer
Dec 24, 2010
2,511
98
North Carolina
I'm totaly lost in this conversation..I think I had that stuff in school.That was back in the fifties about the time that Elvis came on the scene.

 
photoman13

photoman13

Lifer
Mar 30, 2012
2,825
2
Hell I had it in school less than ten years ago. I am frequently lost. I have always had a difficult time with language. I hope people on here don't judge me too harshly for it.

 
checotah

checotah

Part of the Furniture Now
Feb 7, 2012
504
3
Bulldog, FWIW Merriam-Webster classifies "However" as a conjunction.
Photoman, I doubt anyone here will judge you harshly for your grammar; however, some of us might for being young, when we are not. :twisted:

 
mick

mick

Can't Leave
Aug 13, 2012
343
0
Bulldog, FWIW Merriam-Webster classifies "However" as a conjunction.
Photoman, I doubt anyone here will judge you harshly for your grammar; however, some of us might for being young, when we are not. :twisted:
Click to expand...
That's an entirely different use of the word. If you read your own link ( :nana: ) and scroll down to the superscript "2" you will see it is an adverb in my sample sentence, and the sentence you used it in too. :wink:
Once an English teacher, always an English teacher. :twisted:

 
pstlpkr

pstlpkr

Lifer
Dec 14, 2009
9,694
31
Birmingham, AL
The semicolon is the one punctuation mark that has always given me fits; hopefully, I'll use them correctly from now on; however, I'll probably screw up before long. :D

 
captainsousie

captainsousie

Lifer
Aug 1, 2012
4,604
5,161
You have to admit that tetrameter or octameter work much better in simple duple or simple quadruple meter.

 
checotah

checotah

Part of the Furniture Now
Feb 7, 2012
504
3
If you read your own link ( :nana: )
Click to expand...
WHAT? You expect me to read? Sounds, however, just like an English teacher I had in high school... :lol:

 
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