Semicolons, Connectives, and Openers

Rule 17b: Use semicolon if three or more items follows, for example and for instance.

• You may be required to bring many items, for example, sleeping bags, tents, warm clothing, and snacks.

• You may be required to bring many items; for example, sleeping bags, tents, warm clothing, and snacks.

Semicolon Rule 1: Use semicolon in place of a period to separate two sentences.

• Call me tomorrow, I will give you my answer then.

• Call me tomorrow; I will give you my answer then.

Semicolon Rule 2: Use semicolon with a comma when conjunctive adverbs separate two sentences.

• I enjoy playing basketball; however, I loathe playing volleyball.

• I enjoy playing basketball however I loathe playing volleyball.

Semicolon Rule 3: Use the semicolon to separate units of series when units contain commas.

• This conference has people that have come from Boise, Idaho, Los Angeles, California, and Nashville, Tennessee

• This conference has people that have come from Boise, Idaho; Los Angeles, California; and Nashville, Tennessee.

Semicolon Rule 4: Use semicolon between two sentences that are joined by a conjunction but already has one or more commas in the first sentence.

• When I finish here, I will be glad to help you; and that is a promise I will keep.

• When I finish here, I will be glad to help you, and that is a promise I will keep.

Connectives – choose the correctly punctuated sentence.

• As I think about my life so far, I feel like I have lead a nice, simple life.

• As I think, about my life so far I feel like I have lead a nice simple life.

Connectives – choose the correctly punctuated sentence.

• Because I had to walk home, I was tired

• Because I had to walk home I was tired.

Connectives – choose the correctly punctuated sentence.

• The food was frozen, since it had been kept in the freeze

• The food was frozen since it had been kept in the freezer.

Connectives – choose the correctly punctuated sentence.

• I wonder who Casimir Pulaski was; however I really don’t care.

• I wonder who Casimir Pulaski was; however, I really don’t care.

Connectives – choose the correctly punctuated sentence.

• Sally played with her dolls, and Billy rode his bike.

• Sally played with her dolls; and Billy rode his bike