Contents
Learn how and when to use a semicolon (;) in English with semicolon rules and examples. The semicolon generally connects two complete sentences, showing that they are closely related.
Semicolon (;)
What is a semicolon?
The symbol (;) is called a semicolon. It consists of a dot above a comma ( ; ).
The punctuation mark connects two complete sentences into a single sentence with two related halves.
Example sentence: The cat wants in; the cat wants out.
When to use a semicolon
The mark (;) is used to connect two complete sentences and to show that they are related.
Examples:
- We ran out of gas on the highway; all the filling stations were closed.
- I’m ready for some dinner; I’ve been working hard on this project all day.
- The cat wants in; the cat wants out.
- In the 1990s Toyota overtook GM as the world’s best-selling auto brand; it still holds the top spot.
- Children love to visit the zoo; school tours can be scheduled by calling the zoo office.
Generally, both halves of a sentence with a semicolon must be complete sentences in themselves. If both are not complete sentences, use a comma instead.
- INCORRECT: This year’s fruit crop is impressive; oranges especially.
- CORRECT: This year’s fruit crop is impressive, oranges especially.
- CORRECT: This year’s fruit crop is impressive; oranges have been especially strong.
An exception to the rule above occurs when a sentence contains a complicated series in which one or more individual elements contains the word “and.” In this case, the semicolon may replace the commas separating elements of the series, for greater clarity.
Examples:
- Pop vocal groups of the 1960s included the Beatles; Paul Revere and the Raiders; and the Rolling Stones.
- The final stages of the project include glass installation; cleanup and debris transport; and the final quality control check.
- Composers featured on the concert include Bach and Handel from the Baroque; Mozart and Haydn from the Classical period; and Schumann and Brahms from among the Romantics.
- If you’re going to drive in rural Africa, you should bring extra struts; brake pads and shoes; and a replacement radiator.
How to use the semicolon with quotation marks
In both American and British English, the mark (;) goes outside the quotation marks in a sentence.
- I knew I was in trouble when the instructions began with “get your hex wrenches ready”; I didn’t have any hex wrenches.
- The president promised “jobs, jobs, and more jobs”; analysts were skeptical because unemployment had risen during her first term.
A note on the use of the semicolon
Avoid overuse of the semicolon. When you use it, you are suggesting a relationship between the two halves of the sentence, but it may not be clear to the reader what that relationship is. Sometimes it’s better to explain the relationship in the second clause.
CORRECT: Inflation is down from last year; adjustments to the money supply have controlled prices.
CLEARER: Inflation is down from last year because a reduction in the money supply made price increases more difficult for sellers.
Semicolon vs. Other Punctuation Marks
Semicolon vs. Colon
Semicolons and colons both function as separators in sentences but have different roles. While semicolons separate independent clauses that are closely related, colons introduce lists, elaborations, or explanations. Here are two examples to illustrate their differences:
- Semicolon: She loves gardening; her plants thrive under her care.
- Colon: Their movie selection consisted of three genres: action, comedy, and romance.
Semicolon vs. Comma
Semicolons and commas both separate elements in a sentence, but their usage isn’t the same. Commas are used to separate independent clauses when combined with coordinating conjunctions (e.g., and, but, or), whereas semicolons link two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction. Here are examples for comparison:
- Comma: She went to the store, and she bought some groceries.
- Semicolon: She went to the store; she bought some groceries.
A comma is also used to separate items in a list, whereas a semicolon separates items in a series containing internal commas. For example:
- Comma: The ice cream flavors available are chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.
- Semicolon: The conference attendees were from New York, New York; Austin, Texas; and Seattle, Washington.
Semicolon vs. Dashes
Semicolons and dashes can both be used to provide clarity and division in sentences. However, the style they provide is different. Semicolons create a smoother, more understated separation, while dashes create a more abrupt break. Here are some examples to demonstrate their differences:
- Semicolon: He has a varied skill set; this makes him valuable to the team.
- Dash: He has a varied skill set – this makes him valuable to the team.
The em dash is also used to set off parenthetical information, like an aside or additional information about a sentence. Here’s an example:
- Dash: The new puppy – a playful golden retriever – immediately became the family’s favorite.
Common Semicolon Mistakes and How to Avoid
As we already mentioned, the most common mistakes are almost always to do with mixing semicolons up with either colons or commas. So we’ll inspect those again with some specific examples for you to see why it is wrong, and we’ll remind you briefly about how you can remember to avoid these common grammar mistakes.
In Place of Colons
There are two reasons that you should use a colon to connect ideas: to emphasize the second idea over the first, or to connect with a dependent clause. With semicolons, only use them to connect two independent clauses that are equally important. In both cases, the two ideas should relate to one another.
You should also use colons to introduce a list, and semicolons as part of a complicated list where additional information has been provided about the items. So, look at these examples and see if you can spot the problems based on the rules we have discussed:
1) I had pasta last night; chicken tonight. (Incorrect)
2) I’m heading to the park after work: it’s Christmas in a few weeks. (Incorrect)
3) I’ll need you to pick up these five things; my lunch, my water bottle, my stapler, my pen, and my laptop. (Incorrect)
Did you spot all the problems? Here are all the mistakes that were made.
1) The first one should have been a colon, because ‘chicken tonight’ is a dependent clause. Like this:
- I had pasta last night: chicken tonight. (Correct)
2) This one was a trick to see if you remembered the fundamental part about colons and semicolons: the ideas must always be related! Because they are not in this case, a period is better used:
- I’m heading to the part after work. It’s Christmas in a few weeks. (Correct)
3) We used the semicolon incorrectly, only a colon should introduce a list. Like this;
- I’ll need you to pick up these five things: my lunch, my water bottle, my stapler, my pen, and my laptop. (Correct)
In Place of Commas
The second most common mistake involving semicolons is the comma splice, which occurs when two independent clauses are incorrectly joined with a comma instead of a semicolon or coordinating conjunction.
We can use a comma to connect two independent clauses only when we use a coordinating conjunction. We can use a semicolon to connect two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction.
Second, we use commas in simple lists, and we use semicolons in lists with additional information. See if you can spot the problems below:
1) I like ice cream; but my sister prefers candy. (Incorrect)
2) I need four things from the store: cheese; wine; bread; and chicken. (Incorrect)
Here’s what was wrong:
1) We’ve used the coordinating conjunction ‘but’ so we need to use a comma, not a semicolon. If we didn’t use ‘but’ then a semicolon would be fine. Here’s how we might write them both correctly:
- I like ice cream, but my sister prefers candy. (Correct)
OR
- I like ice cream; my sister prefers candy. (Correct)
2) The list isn’t providing any additional information, so we should use commas. If we added more information, then we could use semicolons instead. Here’s how they’d both look:
- I need four things from the store: cheese, wine, bread, and chicken. (Correct)
OR
- I need four things from the store: cheese to go on top of the pasta; wine for drinking with dinner; bread for the soup; and chicken for tomorrow. (Correct)
Semicolon Quiz
Questions
Now that you know everything there is to know about semicolons, we thought we’d put you to the test. Below are some examples of semicolons being used in a sentence. Decide if they are correct or not and see if you can correct them yourself if you think they are wrong.
1) To make this cocktail, you will need these four things: gin; lemonade; rum; and ice.
2) Lily walked the long way home; so she could see the beach.
3) Tim wasn’t hungry; he’d eat tomorrow.
4) Sally asked me to grab a few things from work for her: her photograph of her family; her old laptop with her files on; and the box of papers on her desk.
5) I needed to remember three things from the store; sausages for breakfast tomorrow; eggs to go with them; and tomato soup for lunch.
Answers
1) Incorrect! The list is simple, so commas are all that is needed:
- To make this cocktail, you will need these four things: gin, lemonade, rum, and ice.
2) Incorrect! The coordinating conjunction ‘so’ is used. You need to either use a comma, or remove the conjunction:
- Lily walked the long way home, so she could see the beach.
OR
- Lily walked the long way home; she could see the beach.
3) Correct! It joins two independent clauses that are related and equally important!
4) Correct! A colon is used where it is made clear that a list will follow, and we use a semicolon afterwards because each item on the list has additional information.
5) Incorrect!
OK, we were mean on this one. BUT, a colon should start the list because we emphasised that a list was going to follow in the first part of the sentence. Technically, it should look like this:
- I needed to remember three things from the store: sausages for breakfast tomorrow; eggs to go with them; and tomato soup for lunch.
