How to Use a Semicolon in English Punctuation Guide Learn English Grammar
hi everybody my name is Alisha today I’m
going to talk about how to use the
semicolon a semicolon is a punctuation
mark that we use a lot in English
writing so let’s take a look at two ways
that we can use the semicolon okay
the first way I want to talk about is to
use the semicolon as a way to separate
two parts of a compound sentence if you
watch the video we did about how to use
commas you might remember what a
compound sentence is but just to remind
you or if you haven’t seen the video a
compound sentence is a single sentence
one sentence
that is made of two complete ideas so
there are two ideas together in one
sentence so a compound sentence could be
two individual sentences but they are
linked together maybe by a coordinating
conjunction or as we’ll see by a
semicolon so we can use semicolons to
separate the two parts of a compound
sentence but we don’t need to use a word
like and but or for so those words we
don’t need to use those so let’s look at
an example here okay my first example is
we think you would be a great fit for
our team
semicolon you have a lot of experience
and can work at a fast pace so here
there are two complete ideas idea one we
think you would be a great fit for our
team is one idea idea too you have a lot
of experience and can work at a fast
pace so there are two ideas here in this
sentence we’ve separated the ideas with
a semicolon here let’s look at one more
he really likes her semicolon she’s
smart and funny he really likes her is
one idea he really likes her idea too
she’s smart and funny there are two
ideas here we
necked them with a semicolon so a
question then why should I use a
semicolon can I just use it instead of a
period or what’s the point of using a
semicolon actually it’s a good idea to
use a semicolon for two points or two
ideas which are very closely related
they have a very close relationship so
if you’re just giving me the extra
information or you just want to explain
sort of an additional point maybe it’s
okay just to use a comma and a
coordinating conjunction and buy more
for so yet but if your two points have a
very close a special relationship you
can show the closeness of that
relationship by using a semicolon so
these two examples maybe show that ideal
one an idea to are very closely related
very closely related so we can show that
with a semicolon
then another tip another hint for how to
decide if you can use a semicolon or not
if you can replace your semicolon with a
period you can use a semicolon there so
by that I mean we can look at the
sentence if it’s a full sentence a
complete sentence we think you would be
a great fit for our team period you have
a lot of experience and can work at a
fast pace another period if you can use
a period in the place where you’re
thinking about using a semicolon it’s
okay to use a semicolon so please think
of that that point that tip if you can
finish the sentence and it’s a
grammatically correct sentence you can
replace that with a period you can use a
semicolon in that place as well but of
course this requires that you have a
thorough understanding of grammar and
you understand how to make a complete
sentence so please think about that if
you’re ever unsure about when to use the
semicolon okay the second point I want
to talk about today is quite different
from the first point actually this is if
you’re writing for example an academic
paper or perhaps an essay something like
that this is really to help me help you
make clearer writing to help your
writing be a little bit easier to
understand so you can use a semicolon to
separate
items in a list so maybe if you’re
writing something and you have kind of
an introduction to a list and then a few
different points in your list that are
very complex you can use a semicolon to
show where the point where each point
stops so let’s take a look at this okay
I have a long sentence here my example
here is there are a lot of unhealthy
foods I love so here is my introduction
to my list I’m introducing it with a
colon here actually there are a lot of
unhealthy foods
I love so here’s number one item number
one in my list item number one Pizza
comma which has lots of cheese and bread
then I have a semicolon here this marks
the end of one point number two Ramin
comma which has many varieties and
semicolon and three burritos comma which
are often greasy so here I have three
points in a list about foods in this
case unhealthy foods I love but because
I have a comma after each point I’m
introducing some extra information about
each point which I talked about in the
comedy oh we did it may be unclear to a
person reading this if I use commas
after each point it might seem a little
unclear to the person reading so by
using a semicolon here instead of a
comma it makes it clearer to the reader
that this point has finished I’m done
talking about this point so this is one
thing to keep in mind if you’re
introducing long lists of information
several points in one sentence as in
this case you can use a semicolon
instead of a comma to help your reader
to understand a little bit better okay
so these are just two ways that you can
use semicolons you might also see people
using semicolons with words like however
for example but that might be something
I talked about in another video for now
you can consider these and also if you
haven’t you should check out the comma
punctuation video this might have some
relating relating points or relating
concepts that you can check out so take
a look at that
and I hope that this was useful for you
too if you have any questions or
comments though please make sure to let
us know in the comment section below
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