Semi Colons

1. Semi Colons By: Amandla, Çemil, Laila & Malika

2. Usage of Semi Colons • A semi colon has only major use. It is used to join two complete sentences into a single written sentence when all of the following conditions are met: • (1) The two sentences are felt to be too closely related to be separated by a full stop. • (2) There is no connecting word which would require a comma, such as and or but. • (3) The special conditions requiring a colon are absentor when the elements in a series are long and complex.

3. Condition 1 • A semi colon can, in principle, be replaced by a full stop (period). • Ex: James affronted Marcus with rude comments about his mom; this led to a fight between them. • James affronted Marcus with rude comments about his mom. This led to a fight between them. • Another helpful way to think about is that a semi colon must be proceeded by a complete sentence and it must be followed by one. • Ex: An altercation was formed by the drivers of the car crash; the drivers nearly beat themselves up.

4. Condition 2 • While conjunctions are followed by commas there are connecting words that do require a semi colon. They are however, therefore, hence, thus, consequently, nevertheless and meanwhile. • Ex: Saturn was long thought to be the only ringed planet; however, this is now known not to be the case.

5. Condition 3 • This is the one special circumstance in which a semi colon may be used to separate sentences which are not complete sentences. • Ex: In Somalia, where the civil war still rages, western aid workers, in spite of frantic efforts, are unable to operate, and the people, starving, terrified and desperate, are flooding into neighboring Ethiopia.

6. Condition 3 continued • In Somalia, where the civil war still rages, western aid workers, in spite of frantic efforts, are unable to operate; and the people, starving, terrified and desperate, are flooding into neighboring Ethiopia. • As you can see placing a semi colon after the word operate has made reading this sentence much more manageable. • It is important to note that you should avoid doing this; however, if you happen to have a lot of commas in your sentence you are better off just rewriting it.

7. Practice • Identify where the comma should be placed in the following sentences: • The general of the army had very bellicose tactics to fight the war some might think these strategies to be quite inhumane.