semicolons
Stronger than commas
Semicolons are the punctuation mark (;) used to connect independent clauses more closely than a period would: She wanted to go; he wanted to stay.
They also separate items in lists when those items contain commas: The winners came from Austin, Texas; Portland, Oregon; and Miami, Florida.
Writers sometimes avoid semicolons as fussy or old-fashioned, while others consider them elegant tools for precise connection.
Punctuation marking pauses
- periodPunctuation ending sentences
- dashQuick burst or pinch
- markVisible impression or sign
- symbolRepresentational mark or sign
typographic · delimiter · separator · notation · apostrophe · parenthesis · bracket · ellipsis
Provision in agreement
- independentFree from external control
- dependentRequiring outside support
- conjunctionWord joining clauses together
- syntaxRules for arranging words
coordinate · subordinate · compound · complex · connective · linking · structure · subordination
Expressed claim or fact
- delimiterBoundary-marking character
- terminatorOne who ends things
- codeSymbolic communication system
- syntaxRules for arranging words
JavaScript · C · Java · PHP · Perl · instruction · line · expression
Occurring in ordered succession
- enumerationSequential listing of items
- itemsIndividual units or objects
- sequenceOrdered succession of elements
- catalogOrdered list of items
separation · series · elements · inventory · complex · internal · commas · clarification
comma
Punctuation marking pauses
symbol · typographic · delimiter · separator · notation · apostrophe · parenthesis · bracket · ellipsis · quotation
clause
Provision in agreement
- independentFree from external control
- dependentRequiring outside support
- conjunctionWord joining clauses together
syntax · coordinate · subordinate · compound · complex · connective · linking · structure · subordination · coordination
statement
Expressed claim or fact
- delimiterBoundary-marking character
- terminatorOne who ends things
- codeSymbolic communication system
syntax · JavaScript · C · Java · PHP · Perl · instruction · line · expression · parser
serial
Occurring in ordered succession
- enumerationSequential listing of items
- itemsIndividual units or objects
- sequenceOrdered succession of elements
catalog · separation · series · elements · inventory · complex · internal · commas · clarification · grouping
breath
Air taken in
- caesuraPause within a line
- breakInterrupt continuity
- hesitationDelay from uncertainty
beat · rest · interlude · silence · suspension · halt · stop · gap · pacing · rhythm
- writing rulespunctuation, capitalization, spelling, apostrophes, commas
- written symbolsletters, alphabets, punctuation, commas, periods
- language usageusage, spelling, punctuation, grammar, diction
- Style GuideAP style, MLA style, house style, editorial guidelines, formatting
- code styleindentation, naming conventions, formatting, conventions, consistency
- text symbolsemoticons, emoji, kaomoji, smileys, arrows
semicolonsperiods
Spans of time
full stops · commas · question marks · exclamation points · colons
semicolonsperiods
Spans of time
full stops · paragraph breaks · hard stops · chapter breaks · line breaks
semicolonsemojis
Small digital symbols
sentence fragments · simple sentences · short sentences · bullet points