How to Use a Semicolon

The semicolon can connect closely related ideas, spice up your writing, and make your sentences sound more sophisticated—if you use it correctly. If you'd like to know how to use the tricky semicolon the right way, just follow these easy steps.

Semicolon Usage Chart

Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Linking Two Sentences

  1. Image titled Use a Semicolon Step 1
    1
    Write one complete sentence. A complete sentence must contain a subject and a verb and be a complete thought. The subject is the person, place, or thing that the sentence is about, and the verb is the action that is being performed in the sentence.
    • Ex: "Wanda couldn't fall asleep last night."
  2. Image titled Use a Semicolon Step 2
    2
    Write another closely related sentence. This sentence must be strongly related to the first sentence for the semicolon to work.[1]
    • Ex: "She had too much on her mind."
    Advertisement
  3. Image titled Use a Semicolon Step 3
    3
    Connect the sentences with a semicolon. Remember to make the first letter of the second sentence lowercase.[2]

    Tip: You can treat a semicolon as a period to connect two closely related sentences. This means that you can replace any semicolon with a period.

    4. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Linking Items in a List

  1. Image titled Use a Semicolon Step 4
    1
    Write a sentence that contains a complicated list. Each item in the sentence should contain commas, and each item should also be separated by commas.[4]
    • Ex: "I have a sister in Columbus, Ohio, another sister in Palm Springs, Florida, and a third sister in Oakland, California."
  2. Image titled Use a Semicolon Step 5
    2
    Use the semicolon as a "super-comma" to separate the items of the list. This will make it easier to distinguish between the items in the list.[5]
    • Ex: "I have a sister in Columbus, Ohio; another sister in Palm Springs, Florida; and a third sister in Oakland, California."
    3. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Linking Sentences with Internal Punctuation

  1. Image titled Use a Semicolon Step 6
    1
    Write one sentence with internal punctuation. This sentence can use a colon, dash, or comma. Sentences with internal punctuation tend to be longer. Using semicolons to separate sentences with internal commas is the most common method.[6]
    • Ex: "My cousin, Martha Mary Louise, is the most talented and original cook I have ever met."
  2. Image titled Use a Semicolon Step 7
    2
    Write another closely related sentence with internal punctuation.[7]
    • Ex: "She is very resourceful and can make almost any old food taste delicious, but she does specialize in the following items: cod, fruitcake, and squash."
  3. Image titled Use a Semicolon Step 8
    3
    Connect the sentences with a semicolon.[8]
    • Ex: "My cousin, Martha Mary Louise, is the most talented and original cook I have ever met; she is very resourceful and can make almost any old food taste delicious, but she does specialize in the following items: cod, fruitcake, and squash."
  4. Image titled Use a Semicolon Step 9
    4
    Note that you can also use a semicolon to connect one sentence with internal punctuation and one simple sentence.
    • Ex: "My cousin, Martha Mary Louise, is the most talented and original cook I have ever met; I love her cooking."
    5. Advertisement
Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Linking Sentences with a Transitional Phrase or Conjunctive Adverb

  1. Image titled Use a Semicolon Step 10
    1
    Write a sentence. You can keep it simple.
    • Ex: "I ate an entire apple pie last night."
  2. Image titled Use a Semicolon Step 11
    2
    Write another closely related sentence using a transitional phrase or a conjunctive adverb.[9]
    • Conjunctive adverbs are words that show a relationship between the two sentences, such as cause and effect, contrast, or comparison. Some examples include: however, besides, finally, and hence.[10]
    • Transitional phrases are used to move from one sentence to the next in a logical and smooth way. Some examples include in other words, moreover, and in addition.
      • Ex: "As a result,' I felt sick when I woke up."
  3. Image titled Use a Semicolon Step 12
    3
    Connect the two with a semicolon.[11]
    • Ex: "I ate an entire apple pie last night; as a result, I felt sick when I woke up."
    4. Advertisement
Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Avoid Confusing the Semicolon with the Comma

  1. Image titled Use a Semicolon Step 13
    1
    Do not use a semicolon instead of a comma. Commas can be used to connect two simple sentences and a coordinating conjunction (but, and, nor, or so, for example), while a semicolon cannot.[12]
    • Example of correct usage: "I love my cat, but he drives me crazy."
    • Example of incorrect usage: "I love my cat; but he drives me crazy."
  2. Image titled Use a Semicolon Step 14
    2
    Do not use a comma instead of a semi-colon. A comma can never be used to separate two independent clauses (complete sentences). This is called a comma splice and should be avoided at all times.[13]
    • Example of correct usage: "My kitty is cute; he loves to cuddle."
    • Example of incorrect usage: "My kitty is cute, he loves to cuddle."
    3. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

  • Question
    How do you use a semicolon in an example?
    Tristen Bonacci
    Tristen Bonacci
    Licensed English Teacher
    Tristen Bonacci is a Licensed English Teacher with more than 20 years of experience. Tristen has taught in both the United States and overseas. She specializes in teaching in a secondary education environment and sharing wisdom with others, no matter the environment. Tristen holds a BA in English Literature from The University of Colorado and an MEd from The University of Phoenix.
    Tristen Bonacci
    Tristen Bonacci
    Licensed English Teacher
    Expert Answer
    An example of a semicolon in a sentence could be "I love bananas; I love apples." This uses parallel construction—in other words, you have the same thing on both sides of the semicolon (a subject and a verb).
  • Question
    Can you use a semicolon instead of ", but"?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    You can use a semicolon followed by "however,". A semicolon alone would not provide the indication that you are about to contrast something with what you just said, and you need to provide that indication.
  • Question
    What is the difference between a hyphen and a dash?
    Donagan
    Donagan
    Top Answerer
    Hyphens connect words to each other. Dashes are used to add emphasis or indicate a pause in thought.
Advertisement

You Might Also Like

Use a Colon in a Sentence
How to
Use a Colon in a Sentence
Use a Dash in an English Sentence
How to
Use a Dash in an English Sentence
Use English Punctuation Correctly
How to
Use English Punctuation Correctly
Use Apostrophes
How to
Use Apostrophes
Do an Upside Down Question Mark
How to
Do an Upside Down Question Mark
Use Quotation Marks
How to
Use Quotation Marks
Type a Dash
How to
Type a Dash
Use Quotation Marks in News Articles
How to
Use Quotation Marks in News Articles
Punctuate Titles
How to
Punctuate Titles
Format Dialogue in a Story
How to
Format Dialogue in a Story
Use an Ellipsis
How to
Use an Ellipsis
Identify and Fix a Comma Splice
How to
Identify and Fix a Comma Splice
Use a Comma in a Compound Sentence
How to
Use a Comma in a Compound Sentence
Punctuate Dialogue
How to
Punctuate Dialogue
Advertisement

References

  1. ↑ Tristen Bonacci. Licensed English Teacher. Expert Interview. 21 December 2021.
  2. ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/semicolon/
  3. ↑ Tristen Bonacci. Licensed English Teacher. Expert Interview. 21 December 2021.
  4. ↑ https://www.niu.edu/writingtutorial/punctuation/semicolon.shtml
  5. ↑ https://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/ua/media/56/learningguide-semicolons.pdf
  6. ↑ https://www.niu.edu/writingtutorial/punctuation/semicolon.shtml
  7. ↑ https://www.adelaide.edu.au/writingcentre/ua/media/56/learningguide-semicolons.pdf
  8. ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/grammarpunct/semicolons/
  9. ↑ https://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/punctuation/semicolon.html
  1. ↑ Tristen Bonacci. Licensed English Teacher. Expert Interview. 21 December 2021.
  2. ↑ https://www.niu.edu/writingtutorial/punctuation/semicolon.shtml
  3. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/commas/commas_vs_semicolons.html
  4. ↑ https://www.iup.edu/writingcenter/writing-resources/punctuation/comma-splices.html

About This Article

Tristen Bonacci
Co-authored by:
Tristen Bonacci
Licensed English Teacher
This article was co-authored by Tristen Bonacci. Tristen Bonacci is a Licensed English Teacher with more than 20 years of experience. Tristen has taught in both the United States and overseas. She specializes in teaching in a secondary education environment and sharing wisdom with others, no matter the environment. Tristen holds a BA in English Literature from The University of Colorado and an MEd from The University of Phoenix. This article has been viewed 422,007 times.
8 votes - 90%
Co-authors: 33
Updated: October 11, 2022
Views: 422,007
Categories: Punctuation
Article SummaryX

The most common way to use a semicolon is to link two complete sentences rather than separating them by a period, whether they are simple sentences, contain internal punctuation, or are connected with a transitional phrase or conjunctive adverb such as “however,” “besides,” “finally,” or “in addition.” You can also use a semicolon to separate items in a complex list when the individual items contain punctuation. If you want to learn when to use a semicolon instead of using a comma, keep reading the article!

Did this summary help you?
Advertisement