Semicolons

I’ve been working in Albany, N.Y., this past week, and several questions came up about the use of semicolons.  I hope the information that I shared with them also helps you to use this misunderstood punctuation mark more easily. 

There are three main uses for semicolons:  in compound sentences, with transitional expressions, and in a complex series.

Compound sentences are two simple sentences joined by either a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet) or a semicolon by itself.  While we cannot use only a comma to connect the two halves of a compound sentence, we can use just a semicolon.

          Fred likes movies, and Sarah likes plays.  
          Fred likes movies, but Sarah prefers plays.
          Fred likes movies; Sarah likes plays.

Transitional expressions are words that smooth out the connection between two sentences that are often slightly opposite in meaning.  Using words such as accordingly, nevertheless, moreover, however, for example, or consequently smoothes out the otherwise abrupt transition.  While you can always write the sentences separately, connecting them creates a stronger relationship between them.

The semicolon goes where the period of the first sentence would have been, and the comma stays where it should have been in the second sentence.  And yes, you can start sentences with words such as however. 

Complex series are those whose elements already contain commas.  We use the commas to connect those elements that go together and use the semicolons to separate those elements that do not go together.  Even with semicolons to guide them, some readers may have trouble; without them, everyone will.