If you want to get technical about the grammar of this situation (and let's face it, I always want to get technical about the grammar of a situation), “wishing he had glasses” is a dependent clause. It can't stand on its own without the first part of the sentence in front of it. “Wishing he had glasses” isn't an independent clause. Martin squinted as he read over his news brief, wishing he had glasses. Independent of each other, they're both complete sentences in their own right. We need a semicolon here because the first half and the second half of the sentence can both stand on their own. Let's look back at Martin and his lack of corrective eyewear. Each clause of the sentence needs to be an independent clause. In order to use semicolons properly when you're not making lists, it's important to remember a few things. Tweet 2 Essential Rules for Using Semicolons A comma is completely inappropriate here because that would lead to a comma splice, and as we have previously discussed, comma splices are evil. The semicolon in this sentence connects the two independent thoughts without bringing the narrative to a full stop in the way that a period would. He was in need of a good pair of glasses. Martin squinted as he read over his news brief. Martin squinted as he read over his news brief he was in need of a good pair of glasses. If it helps, mentally separate the two clauses with a period to test their independence. If you're going to use it, make sure that each clause can stand on its own as a fully formed sentence. It can be easy to get caught up in the excitement of the semicolon, and you'll want to use it everywhere. You know what an independent clause is, right? A clause has a subject and a verb, and if it's independent, it can stand alone as a sentence. Use a semicolon to connect two independent clauses. There are two reasons you'll need to use a semicolon. When it's used properly, however, the semicolon can add beauty and sophistication to your writing. In all seriousness, the semicolon is probably the most misunderstood button on a keyboard (except for maybe whatever the heck the little hat over the 6 is). The 2 Times You Can Use Semicolons Correctly Check out our review of ProWritingAid here to see how it works. Not sure you'll ever figure out how to use a semicolon correctly? That's cool! Consider using a grammar checking tool like ProWritingAid to tell you when you should and shouldn't use semicolons. Your virtues will not be lost on this audience as long as I have a say in it. Some have rejected it outright, including Kurt Vonnegut, who said that the only reason to use a semicolon would be “to show you've been to college.”ĭon't worry, little semicolon. Sadly, many writers have a confusing relationship with the semicolon, not really sure how or when to use them in their lovely sentences. Why Most People Don't Know When to Use a Semicolon ( ) The semicolon is sometimes called a super comma, and rightly so, because it can act as a kind of upgrade when just one comma isn't enough or is confusing. A punctuation mark that is stronger than a comma, used either to separate two independent clauses or to separate items in a list when there are parenthetical commas present. Semicolon Definition: What Is a (Also Known as the Super Comma)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |