Oh, that poor semicolon! It still remains one of the most
misunderstood punctuation marks. Many
writers use that old worn-out comma to do the
work of the semicolon. But understanding
the semicolon really means remembering one basic
fact: It's more like a period
than a comma.
A
semicolon is used to separate two independent clauses;
examples follow:
Example
#1: The lesson proved to be invaluable; thank
you for your time.
Example
#2: We have everything we need; therefore, the
trial should start tomorrow.
Example
#3: Thanks again for allowing us to be of
service; we appreciate your business.
The
examples above should help make semicolons less
troublesome. And when you think about it,
the semicolon is probably even easier to use
than the comma!
