Semicolon

• english
• Secondary Education

ELOS

• explore the concept of the punctuation mark-semicolon.

• identify the instances where it is not used.

• recall the concept of coordinating conjunctions (FANBOYS).

• identify the difference between a period and a semicolon and a colon and a semicolon.

What are various punctuation marks?

Which punctuation mark is this and what is it used for?

What is the difference
between a period
and semicolon?

PERIOD

A period divides sentences while a semicolon links them. A semicolon adds more texture to the writing.

I am hungry. I should go to the cafeteria.

Here use of period as a division line of two sentences can be observed.

I am hungry; I should go to the cafeteria.

Here second part is related to the first and so semicolon is used to show the link between the two.

SEMICOLON

RULE - 1

Thus one use of semicolons is to link sentences.

Frame a sentence of your own using the first use of the semicolon.

Observe the sentence

Meet my friends. Tina from Meerut Neha from Aligarh Mohit from Delhi Sunidhi from Ghaziabad and Ankita from Mumbai.

RULE - 2

The sentence contains mixed information. The second use of semicolon is to provide clarity to the sentences with mixed information.

Observe the sentence now.

Meet my friends. Tina, from Meerut ; Neha, from Aligarh ; Mohit, from Delhi ; Sunidhi, from Ghaziabad and Ankita from Mumbai.

Frame a sentence with mixed information using a semicolon.

Before proceeding, recall coordinating conjunctions.

EXAMPLE OF COORDINATING CONJUNCTION

She is tired; since she has been working for 4 hours.

RULE - 3

She will come definitely; and if her sister is free, she will come too.

(Observe the use of semicolon and comma both.)

(A semicolon is used just before coordinating conjunction and the conjunction should always begin with a lowercase letter)

Create a sentence of your own using any of the coordinating conjunctions.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEMICOLON AND COLON

Never confuse colons with semicolons.

For specifying a list we always use colons.

Get these items from market : kit, chair, pen and a notebook.

Get these items from market ; kit, chair, pen and a notebook.

Hope you all have understood semicolon well.

Summary. 

Semicolon is used to :

• link sentences
• give clarity to sentences with mixed chunks of information.
•  with coordinating conjunctions.
• Never use them while specifying lists.Use colon instead.

Difference between comma, period and semicolon

• Comma gives a pause
• Period divides sentences.
• Semicolon links sentences. 

Homefun

• Read the lesson, ‘The Story of my Life’.