Semi colons

[longers]

. . . and indeed colons.

Someone mentioned them on here recently and I haven't a clue how to use them.

I've snuck a couple in this week and no-one's complained yet; but that'll be beginner's luck.

Any tips on where and when please?

 

[Speicher]

Apostrophes? You need one in no-one's, and in beginner's luck.

 

[longers]

Now amended. I'll have to trust you about beginner's.

 

[colly]

Sort of like a longer pause in a sentence, not as definite as a full stop but not as insubstantial as a comma.

Something like that.

 

[Speicher]

Sort of like a longer pause in a sentence, not as definite as a full stop but not as insubstantial as a comma.

Something like that.

 

[colly]

Ha ha ha ..............I wondered who would spot that very subtle play on words.

walks away quickly before anyone realises it was inadvertent

 

[Bigtwin]

Use them sparingly; less is more.

 

[Jonathan M]

Colons & semi colons: one is normal; the other occurs after radical bowel surgery.
















I'll get my coat............................................

 

[threebikesmcginty]

If in doubt leave 'em out

 

[Yellow Fang]

I expect like you, I was never taught how to use semi-colons and colons at school. We weren't even taught how to use commas properly. The rules for using semi-colons and colons are actually simpler than those for using commas. The problem is that the rules for using commas aren't all that clear. I've read several books on punctuation. The Penguin Guide to Punctuation is pretty good. Basic Punctuation by Don Shiach and John Murray is good too, because it includes activities you can have a go at. Mind the Gaffe says about semicolons:

"The semicolon( has only one function. It serves to connect two complete sentences when these sentences meet the following conditions: (1) they are felt to be too closely connected to be separated by a full stop (a period); (2) they are not joined by a connecting word which would require a comma, such as and, or, but, while, or yet; (3) they do not meet the requirements for a colon. The next sentence is an example. Women's conversation is cooperative; men's is competitive. Here is another example. Tolkien published The Hobbit in 1937; the first volume of The Lord of the Rings followed in 1954.
The semicolon cannot be used if what precedes or follows it is not a complete sentence. Here is an example of the wrong use. *I don't like him; not at all. The semicolon here should be replaced by a comma. And here is another faulty example. *In 1991 the music world was shaken by a tragic event; the death of Freddy Mercury. This time the required punctuation is a colon.
Many people have badly confused the semicolon with the colon, and they routinely write a semicolon where a colon is required. There follows an example. *The minority of languages in Spain are as follows; Catalan, Basque and Galician. The semicolon is impossible, and it must be replaced by a colon."

 

[661-Pete]

At some time in my distant past, I must have been trained to be scrupulous in maintaining 'correct' punctuation (whatever that is), because the habit has stuck with me ever since. Accordingly, I can see punctuation errors in nearly every post above. But does this matter? The language, and the standards that govern it, are constantly changing.

 

[purplepolly]

At some time in my distant past, I must have been trained to be scrupulous in maintaining 'correct' punctuation (whatever that is), because the habit has stuck with me ever since. Accordingly, I can see punctuation errors in nearly every post above. But does this matter? The language, and the standards that govern it, are constantly changing.

When typing, leave two spaces after a full stop or question mark.

 

[longers]

After reading Yellow Fangs very helpful post I will be mainly following 3BMs advice.
Did that need an apostrophe?

 

[Yellow Fang]

The big problem I found with this explanation was point 2, because apart from and, or, but, while and yet there are a whole bunch of conjunctions that introduce subordinate clauses (otherwise called conditional clauses), and subordinate clauses require a comma. Examples include because, as, since, and although. There are also a bunch of of conjunction like words that would normally require a semicolon if they were introducing a clause. Examples include however, thus, hence, nevertheless and therefore. Even this is not all that clear because these words can be preceded by a full stop if they begin a sentence or a comma if they form a minor interruption to a sentence.

I get the impression that on the whole it is best to use them sparingly. Some authors, like Patrick O'Brien, can sprinkle them about as they like, but you have to be a very good writer to get away with it. George Orwell disliked them and tried to avoid using them. Kurt Vonnegut loathed them. OTOH, it's better to use a semicolon than a comma splice IMO.

 

[Auntie Helen]

When typing, leave two spaces after a full stop or question mark.

Not any more, apparently.