Thread: What Are Your Views On The Semi-Colon?

I don't have any I never use them is that bad?

Originally Posted by Nacian

I don't have any I never use them is that bad?

No!

I use semi-colons when and where they are meant to be used. However, aesthetically I find them displeasing and much prefer to use full stops or comma's. It doesn't really matter to be honest, they don't change the way readers read texts as much as full stops and comma's. For example, these sentences read somewhat the same:

I loved my life before it happened; they came without remorse.

I loved my life before it happened, they came without remorse.

But this sentence reads different to both of them:

I loved my life before it happened. They came without remorse.

Originally Posted by nath881

For example, these sentences read somewhat the same:
I loved my life before it happened; they came without remorse.

I loved my life before it happened, they came without remorse.

They may read the same, but the second one is grammatically incorrect. THAT'S why you use semicolons - to get that half stop a period doesn't provide.

Originally Posted by nath881

I use semi-colons when and where they are meant to be used. However, aesthetically I find them displeasing and much prefer to use full stops or comma's. It doesn't really matter to be honest, they don't change the way readers read texts as much as full stops and comma's. For example, these sentences read somewhat the same:

I loved my life before it happened; they came without remorse.

I loved my life before it happened, they came without remorse.

But this sentence reads different to both of them:

I loved my life before it happened. They came without remorse.

this is how I see it.
I will ditch the semi colon because the comma does do as a good as if not better then the semi.
the only problem is that I do not understand the sentence.
what do you mean by THEY?
I loved my life before it happened. They came without remorse.
the two sentences are not linked and therefore the only way is the full stop,
if the two sentences however linked for example
I loved my life because it happened. It was unexpected and I was taken by suprise.

the sentences are linked because of the IT in both clauses, and so it in this instance it has to have a full stop because your first sentence with a verb'happened''.
if it had an adjective after that verb, then the comma would have to follow like this
I loved my life before it happened so quickly, it came without announcements.
so the comma here is more appropriate because you are in the middle of describing more of the ''IT'' your are talking about.

I don't get what the semi colon is about it is an oddity to me.

In this case like this, the purpose of the semicolon is to connect two independent yet related clauses -- independent meaning they could stand alone. Hard to say for sure out of context, but the two independent clauses in this example don't seem related. A semi-colon doesn't work -- and a comma certainly doesn't.

Here's an example of how a semicolon could work:

I like a good cup of coffee in the morning; it really get's me going.

Originally Posted by Capulet

Another underrated use for the semicolon is in a list when commas would be confusing.

There are three things I enjoy more than anything: reading, which is good for the brain; teaching, which is good for the soul; and eating, which is bad for the waistline.

Thank you, this was actually a very helpful post to read. I've never thought of doing this, even though now that you mention it I've often seen it in books I've read. And whenever I make similar lists they just get horribly confusing, now I've got an alternative to making vertical lists

Originally Posted by Capulet

Another underrated use for the semicolon is in a list when commas would be confusing.

There are three things I enjoy more than anything: reading, which is good for the brain; teaching, which is good for the soul; and eating, which is bad for the waistline.

I think this is a good use for the semicolon.

I like them as a writer. But I used to work as a computer programmer and some programming languages force you to use one at the end of each line of code. So if you forget one and try to run the program it will not work and may not tell you why, so you have to go through all your code and it could take hours before you notice a missing semi colon. These days though the devolopment tools will spot it fast (usually).