Semicolons

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Semicolons

• 3365 Fall

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The Semi-Colon

• Two ways to use this one.
• To combine sentences.
• To separate items with internal commas in a list.

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To combine sentences using a semi-colon

• Rules
• The statements on both sides of the semi-colon
  must be independent clauses (sentences).
• The second statement is not capitalized.

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How do you recognize an independent clause?

• Put it in this test sentence
• They refused to believe the idea that
  _______________________________.

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Try this one

• Although it hadnt gone well.
• They refused to believe the idea that although
  it hadnt gone well.

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Or this one

• A Senate committee will be appointed to determine
  how the lounge will be managed.
• They refused to believe the idea that a Senate
  committee will be appointed to determine how the
  lounge will be managed.

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Suggestion 1 for using a semi-colon.

• Generally, you want both sentences to be of equal
  weightessentially, they should be the
  approximately the same length.
• Joe Shmoe is a junior taking five classes and
  majoring in technical communication at Texas Tech
  in Lubbock, Texas he likes it.

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Suggestion 2 for using a semi-colon.

• Also, the second sentence should be related to
  the first.
• Joe Schmoe is a student at Texas Tech University
  Dr. Eaton has a puppy.

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So, to change the rhythm of a paragraph

• You can combine sentences with a semi-colon if
  you follow the previous rules.
• Ex The instructor tailored the lecture to fit
  the skills of her new students. She created
  interesting examples. She wrote interesting
  lectures. They did excellent work.

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Try these.

• Students at Texas Tech are quite bright they
  understand concepts quickly.
• Report Writing involves skills that can be used
  in any type of professional writing. Audience
  analysis, tone, and organization are important
  for every document.

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Fix this sentence.

• Our objectives in Report Writing are many One
  example is to learn how to use a semicolon.

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Punctuating List Items with Internal Commas

• First, let me show you what Im talking about.

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How many people are in this sentence?

• Jeff Laster, the CEO, Shukriye Khamin, the head
  of IT, An Jing, and the VP of Sales were in the
  meeting.

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Could be 4, could be 5, could be 6.

• Jeff Laster
• the CEO
• Shukriye Khamin
• the head of IT
• An Jing
• and the VP of Sales were in the meeting.

• Jeff Laster, the CEO
• Shukriye Khamin, the head of IT
• An Jing
• and the VP of Sales were in the meeting.

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When to Use the Semi-colon

• So, instead of commas, use a semi-colon when list
  items have internal commas.
• The only rule is that once you being using
  semi-colons to separate items, they ALL must be
  separated by semi-colonseven if they dont have
  an internal comma.

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Lets look at that again.

• Jeff Laster the CEO Shukriye Khamin, the head
  of IT An Jing and the VP of Sales were in the
  meeting.