The Semicolon: It’s Not a Strong Comma
It’s true. The semicolon is used for more things than just winking in text. ;)
The most common use of a semicolon is to separate two independent clauses. Independent clauses are complete sentences on their own. For more on clauses, review our unit on sentence structure.
The semicolon isn’t like a comma; it’s really more like a period. Using a semicolon like a comma can definitely create some trouble.
First, let’s take a step back and explain the difference between an independent clause and a dependent clause. An independent clause expresses a complete thought. An independent clause is usually called a sentence. Conversely, a dependent clause is a group of words that may contain a subject and verb but does not express a complete thought.
Independent clause:
I ran quickly to make it to class on time.
Dependent clause:
Although I ran quickly to make it to class,
Independent clause:
I enjoy working from home because I get more work done than when in the office.
Dependent clause:
Because I enjoy working from home,
Can you see the difference?
The first examples are complete sentences, and the second examples are not. Remember that complete sentences express a complete thought and contain at least a subject and a verb and quite often an object or modifying phrase.
So now that you understand what an independent clause is, and that a semicolon connects two independent clauses, we can begin to look at how the semicolon can be used.
