Skip to main content
Humanities LibreTexts

6.7: Semicolons

  • Page ID
    100273
  • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    Use

    A semicolon introduces a pause greater than that of a comma but less than that of a period. This is a semicolon: ;

    To Clarify a Series
    Semicolons separate elements of a series when the items are long or when individual segments contain material that also must be set off by commas.
    • Example: She leaves a son, Mike Nach, of Arizona; a daughter, Emily Rosa, of Colorado; and a sister, Sara Evans, of Minnesota.
    To Link Independent Clauses
    A semicolon joins two independent clauses within one a sentence without the use of a coordinating conjunction.
    • Example: The horse was due for an immunization; the veterinarian administered one today.
    A semicolon may also be used if there is a Conjunctive adverb in the sentence.
    • Example: “I must go grocery shopping; however, I must pick up the dry cleaning today.”
    Placement with Quotes
    Semicolons should always appear outside quotation marks.
    • Example: Marcus often says that "people should remain true to their faith"; however, he is not a man of faith.

    Common Misuses

    Some examples of improper use of the semicolon:

    • Between a subordinate clause and the rest of the sentence. Example: Unless you are coming home before your curfew; don't bother coming home.
    • Between an appositive and the word to which it refers. Example: My favorite animal is a parakeet; a type of bird.
    • To introduce a list. Example: I own these cars; a Dodge Stealth, an Acura RSX, and a Geo Storm.

    6.7: Semicolons is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

    • Was this article helpful?