Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[kerstin]

When to use semicolon?

Do you use it in academic writing?

thanks!

[asterix]

The semi colon is used to indicate a pause midway between a comma and a period.
It is stronger than a comma, but weaker than a period.

Its principal use is to mark the dividing point in a sentence where there is no co-ordinating conjunction.
e.g. The policeman stood behind the tree; he was trying to catch speeders with his radar gun.
Or, My boss has a great sense of humour; nevertheless he's strict at work.

Another use is to separate major word groupings from minor ones.

A lot of commas in a sentence can lead to confusion. The semicolon is useful in punctuating major elements which themselves contain commas.

e.g.The Prime Minister visited several colleges, schools, and institutions; some factories, office buildings, and churches; and a number of public buildings.

The old car, battered, leaking oil, radiator fluid and gasoline, from its long trip across the unforgiving, arid, desert finally stopped; and it was hours before our mechanic could get it started again.