What are semicolons? Grammar Toolkit Slide 2 Like a comma, a
semicolon separates parts of a sentence. However, a semicolons
pause is longer than a comma but shorter than a full-stop. I love
diving. Its my whole life. The long pause of the full-stop
separates the two ideas in different sentences. I love diving, for
its my whole life. The short pause of the comma runs the two ideas
together. I love diving; its my whole life. The in-between pause of
the semicolon emphasises the relationship between the ideas and is
more dramatic. Slide 3 Grammar Toolkit Rewrite each pair of
sentences as one sentence with a semicolon. Dont use a capital
letter after the semicolon. Dont juggle with knives. Theyre not
toys. Replace the conjunctions and commas in these sentences with
semicolons. Note that each part of the sentence is an independent
clause. I like chocolate, but I love caramel. ; I love caramel. I
have four dogs. Three of them are greyhounds. ; theyre not toys. ;
three of them are greyhounds. We could talk for hours, and talking
is great medicine. ; talking is great medicine. Slide 4 Grammar
Toolkit Dont use a comma when you should use a semicolon. You can
join independent clauses with a semicolon, or with a comma and a
conjunction a comma by itself is not enough. Join these clauses
using the chosen punctuation mark., and ; ;, but The sun is well
and truly up I need a scarf Some people love summer Tex forgot his
homework my stomach is empty! this weather is too cold for me. some
people thrive in winter. his mum brought it to school. comma
semicolon comma Slide 5 I am delivering a box of blank discs,the
new type that come from Germany; a Whizz-O 3000 computer; 50
writing pads,but not the blue ones you ordered because weve run
out; an electric pencil sharpener; and five boxes each of red,green
blue and black pens. Grammar Toolkit A semicolon is also used to
punctuate a complicated list, especially one that already contains
commas. The semicolons help you know where to pause., ; ;, ; ;,,
Slide 6 Some of my favourite characters are Winnie the Pooh,whose
best friend Piglet helps him to understand the world; Han Solo,
whose best friend Chewbacca helps him to survive in space; and
Superman, whose friends Batman, Aquaman and Wonder Woman help him
to save the world. Grammar Toolkit Where do semicolons and commas
belong in this paragraph?, ;, ;,, Slide 7 Grammar Toolkit
Punctuation helps others to understand our writing. Semicolons (;)
show a pause longer than a comma but shorter than a full-stop (e.g.
Your hair is black; mine is red). Semicolons help to punctuate a
complicated list, especially one that already contains commas (e.g.
You will need orange, blue and green paper, cut into wide strips; a
ball of thick, black wool; and paperclips for each child.) Slide 8
Grammar Toolkit
