When do you use a semi colon?

Locke · Nov 19, 2014

I only came here to say that the semicolon is my absolute favorite punctuation.

:nothing

:

C.bronco · Nov 19, 2014

I use it when consecutive sentences are closely related. I wrote a noteworthy sentence; it was written with meaning.

msd · Nov 20, 2014

Jamesaritchie said:
In thirty-five years as a writer, and as an editor, I have never found a time when a semicolon was the best choice in fiction. Almost every last time, it means the writer wrote a poor sentence, and tried to fix it with a semicolon.

Few, if any, semicolons are planned before the sentence starts. The writers starts writing, realizes at some point that the sentence either doesn't say what he wants, or doesn't say enough, slaps on a semicolon, keeps writing, and Bob's your uncle.

This is a lousy way to write good fiction.

I can't remember a case where a rewrite wouldn't be better than a semicolon. But writers don't really want to rewrite. Grammatically speaking, the semicolon is in the right place, so it must be fine. It almost never is.

Do yourself a favor, do readers a favor, and when you find yourself using a semicolon for any reason, go back and read the sentence again. I'd be willing to bet you can write a much, much better sentence that includes whatever came after the semicolon, if it needs to be there, which it may or may not. Usually not.

I took a few chapters and rewrote the sentences that had semicolons as you recommended. So far you are correct. They are better without them. I will try to avoid semicolons from now on.

Thank you everyone.

caracy · Nov 30, 2014

Jamesaritchie said:
In thirty-five years as a writer, and as an editor, I have never found a time when a semicolon was the best choice in fiction. Almost every last time, it means the writer wrote a poor sentence, and tried to fix it with a semicolon.

I was taught this same lesson, James.

Ken · Nov 30, 2014

I (Ken) guess I use semicolons when connecting sentence fragments of sorts. Commas wouldn't work. Periods either. Example to follow.

Jane went to a nightclub; met a guy; cursed her fate.

Not sure if this is allowable or not ?

Maryn · Nov 30, 2014

I'd say those semicolons were incorrect. I get what you're trying to do, but in your shoes, I'd use commas. (And yes, Ken and I know the absent and is understood.)

Maryn, misunderstood

Chase · Nov 30, 2014

Ken said:
I (Ken) guess I use semicolons when connecting sentence fragments of sorts. Commas wouldn't work. Periods either. Example to follow.

Jane went to a nightclub; met a guy; cursed her fate.

Not sure if this is allowable or not ?

You run the risk of repeated water-boarding by the grammar police, Ken. Except for rare items in a series with internal commas, semicolons mainly signify connections of linked independent clauses--certainly not fragments of any sort. :Shrug:

Maryn · Nov 30, 2014

Can't we do beer-boarding once in a while? That might be kind of fun.

Maryn, who'll take the lager or the Belgian ale, please

Ken · Nov 30, 2014

Thnx Maryn and Chase. Next round on me ;-)

King Neptune · Nov 30, 2014

Maryn said:
Can't we do beer-boarding once in a while? That might be kind of fun.

Maryn, who'll take the lager or the Belgian ale, please

Wine would be even better, a fine old Beaune. That could replace "drown a kitten in cream."

blacbird · Nov 30, 2014

Purdue OWL, folks. Gives clear reasons about the use of semicolons, with good examples. Along with all manner of other useful stuff.

caw

waysouth · Dec 1, 2014

Answer to the thread question - never.
I have used semicolons at times, but find them a detraction. Use of the mechanics is an evolving process. They are going out of style. Many uses of commas are also going out.
I've had editors suggest I use them when I started writing (before they had word processors) and editors who said it was better to err in non-use. In the last fifty books I've written I doubt I used fifty semicolons altogether.

blacbird · Dec 2, 2014

waysouth said:
I have used semicolons at times, but find them a detraction.

There is no such word as "detraction".

waysouth said:
Many uses of commas are also going out.

Provide an example of such.

caw

Maryn · Dec 2, 2014

My publisher specifically does not want a comma before a sentence-ending too. That's one place comma usage is going out. They also don't want to see them in common exclamations like oh boy.

I don't agree with these, but it's not worth fighting for my right to comma as I was taught long ago.

Maryn, glad they're still in direct address

Chase · Dec 2, 2014

Oh, boy, your publisher is ultra modern. Your publisher is wrong to change your style, too.

King Neptune · Dec 2, 2014

Yea, the style changing is what bothers me. How one uses punctuation goes a long way toward establishing a style; that's one reason why I love semicolons. Although some think that semicolons make for a denser style; they actually make for a terser style, because they cause many "and's" or other conjunctions to be deleted.

When do you use a semi colon?

Locke

Lost the instruction manual

C.bronco

I have plans...

msd

caracy

Expert on Absolutely Nothing

Ken

Maryn

At Sea

Chase

It Takes All of Us to End Racism

Maryn

At Sea

Ken

King Neptune

blacbird

waysouth

blacbird

Maryn

At Sea

Chase

It Takes All of Us to End Racism

King Neptune