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Questions and Answers
What is a semi-colon?
What is a semi-colon?
Punctuation that separates major sentence elements.
What does a semicolon look like?
What does a semicolon look like?
;
When do you use a semi-colon? (Select all that apply)
When do you use a semi-colon? (Select all that apply)
- Before words like namely, however, therefore. (correct)
- Between two closely related independent clauses. (correct)
- After a dependent clause before an independent clause.
- To separate units of a series when one or more units contain commas. (correct)
When do you avoid using a semi-colon?
When do you avoid using a semi-colon?
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You should capitalize ordinary words after a semicolon.
You should capitalize ordinary words after a semicolon.
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Which of the following sentences correctly uses a semicolon? (Select one)
Which of the following sentences correctly uses a semicolon? (Select one)
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Study Notes
Semi-Colon Overview
- A semicolon is a punctuation mark that separates major sentence elements, creating a pause longer than a comma but shorter than a period.
Appearance
- The semicolon consists of a dot (above) and a comma (below) placed closely together.
Usage Guidelines
- Use a semicolon to connect two closely related independent clauses, indicating a stronger relationship than a period would imply.
- In lists, a semicolon can separate items when those items contain internal commas, helping to avoid confusion.
- Place a semicolon before transitional phrases (e.g., namely, however, therefore) when they introduce a complete sentence, often accompanied by a comma following the transition.
Avoiding Misuse
- A semicolon should not precede a dependent clause. For example, “Although they tried; they failed” is incorrect. The correct form is “Although they tried, they failed.”
Capitalization Rules
- Ordinary words following a semicolon should not be capitalized. For example: “I am here; you are over there” is correct.
Correct Semicolon Usage Example
- The sentence “Star Trek was my favorite television show during the 1960s; in fact, it is my favorite television show of all time” uses a semicolon correctly, as it connects two related independent clauses.
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