How to Use Semicolons

Today's topic is semicolons. I get a lot of questions about semicolons, so it's time to clear up some confusion.

4 Reasons to Use Semicolons

1. To separate clauses
2. To create variety
3. To emphasize relatedness
4. To separate items in a complex list

Let's talk more about each of these techniques and how to use other grammar tools at your disposal to enhance your writing when it comes to semicolons.

Semicolons Separate Clauses

Semicolons separate things. Most commonly, they separate two main clauses that are closely related to each other but could stand on their own as sentences if you wanted them to.

Here's an example:

I have a big test tomorrow; I can't go out tonight.

The two clauses in

 that sentence are separated by a semicolon and could be sentences on their own if you put a period between them instead:

I have a big test tomorrow. I can't go out tonight.

Semicolons Create Variety

One reason you might choose to use a semicolon instead of a period is if you wanted to add variety to your sentence structure; for example, you might use a semicolon if you thought you had too many short, choppy sentences in a row.

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Semicolons Emphasize Relatedness

Another reason to use a semicolon is to draw attention to how related your two clauses are. The semicolon in our example sentence highlights that the reason you can't go out tonight is that you have a big test tomorrow. You wouldn't write, “English is my fifth period class; I can't go out tonight,” because those two main clauses have nothing to do with each other. I can't think of a single reason why English being fifth period would mean you can't go out tonight.

Semicolons and Coordinating Conjunctions

You should never use a semicolon and a coordinating conjunction such as “and,” “so,” and “but” to join two main clauses; that's the job of a comma. If you want to use a coordinating conjunction you'd write it like this:

I have a big test tomorrow, so I can't go out tonight.

Nevertheless, there are a couple of instances where it's OK to use a semicolon with a...

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