How to use semicolons correctly.

I can’t possibly be the only person who thinks semicolons are fantastic.

Without hesitation, semicolons are my favourite punctuation mark. They can greatly improve the quality of creative writing responses when used correctly. Surely, I can’t be the only person who feels really fancy whenever I use them?

The good news is that once you know how to use them, it's very easy.

Let me explain...

📣 The most common use case of a semicolon is to link two independent main clauses that are closely connected in thought.

What does that mean?

First, we need to understand what a main clause is:

👉 A main clause can form a complete sentence by itself. For example, "I went to the shops" is a main clause (it makes sense on its own)

📣 A semicolon joins two main clauses together.

When using a semicolon, you want to ensure that both clauses either side of the semicolon make sense if they formed a sentence by itself.

Here are a few examples of semicolons being used correctly:

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✅ Adam has gone to the library; Victoria has gone to eat lunch.

✅ Edith was filled to the brim with ambition; she gave her all to the 11 Plus.

✅ The children were mortified to discover the amount of plastic in the ocean; they formulated ideas to recover the once beautiful coral reef.

Side note: "Filled to the brim" is an idiom.

Here's an example of semicolons NOT being used correctly:

❌ Terry always slept with the light on; because he was afraid of the dark.

❌ Madrid is a beautiful city; hot weather and delicious food.

❌ The 21st century is an exciting time to be alive, there are endless opportunities available; for children.

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What's wrong with these sentences?

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