The Semi-Colon (;)
Used to form a compound sentence by linking two independent clauses. The two clauses must have a logical relation to one another. The semi-colon is often followed by an adverbial:
- Ryan was terrified of dogs; he had a traumatic experience with one when he was a child.
- Terry volunteers at a homeless shelter; Peter dedicates his free time to animal rescue.
- I wanted to step in to help the man; however, I was too terrified to move.
To separate items in a potentially confusing list that already contains several commas. Adding semi-colons makes the list easier to read and less confusing.
- Students in the competition came from Vancouver, British Columbia; Toronto, Ontario; Fredericton, New Brunswick; and Brandon, Manitoba.
- In attendance at the meeting were Wendy McKee, president; Vince Sullivan, vice-president; Tony Street, secretary; and Linda Hunt, public relations.
Review - Semicolon
Shaun explains the uses of semicolons.
Review - Semicolon
Shaun explains the uses of semicolons.
The Colon (:)
Unlock full access by logging in. Registered users can explore the entire lesson and more.