Semicolon: The forgotten mark

Sep 12th, 2008 | By John Roach | Category: Grammar

If you like rooting for the underdog, you’re going to love the semicolon. Although the en dash may be used even less, it’s not out of spite — no one’s ever heard of it. Not so with the semicolon. It is commonly rejected by lesser writers everywhere. Once you learn and apply the two simple rules for semicolon usage below, you’ll stand head and shoulders above the rest.

Semicolons join two independent clauses.
- also
- however
- otherwise
- consequently
- indeed
- similarly
- finally
- likewise
- then
- furthermore
- moreover
- therefore
- hence
- nevertheless
- thus
- nonetheless.

If you have two closely related independent clauses, separate them with a semicolon

To err is human; to forgive, divine.

He washes the dishes; I do the laundry.

If the link between the clauses is not so obvious, you can link the two clauses with a conjunctive adverb.

Conjunctive adverbs are words such as however, nonetheless, as a result. They make apparent the logical relationship between the two clauses. Here is a non-conclusive list.

He was, in most ways, a model employee; however, his kleptomania cost him many a promotion.

In the above example, the two independent clauses wouldn’t work without the semicolon and conjunction.

The main thing to remember is to use the semicolon rather than a comma. Using a comma where a semicolon is more appropriate creates a comma splice; if that happens, copious amounts of red ink will be spilled.

Semicolons act as dividers in complex lists

I’d like to thank my dog, my wife, Jennifer, my cat, and Randy Newman.

Pop quiz: How many people are being thanked in the sentence above, 4 or 5?

The answer is, we don’t know. The speaker’s wife may be Jennifer, his cat may be Jennifer, or Jennifer may be someone else entirely. Luckily, we have a solution to our ambiguity problem.

I’d like to thank my dog; my wife, Jennifer; my cat; and Randy Newman.

Now we know for sure that the speaker’s wife is named Jennifer.

Use a semicolon in a list when one of the items requires a comma itself. Think of the semicolon as comma’s back-up: It jumps in when the comma can’t handle the job alone.

Well, there you have it: Two simple rules for impeccable semicolon usage. Follow them and you’ll stand out as a writer, a lover, and a human being.