ESL Basic English Grammar Questions and Help

Re: Is this a right use of a semicolon?

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 14:06:16 GMT

I doubt that it is more nearly acceptable that we reproduce the exact same thread with a new date on it.

The word that I mispelled was "clause." If you reread the post, I misspelled several words. I was copying from the Gregg reference manual (an English grammar / usage reference manual) as fast as I could.

Re: Is this a right use of a semicolon?

Avangi — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:35:27 GMT

To avoid embarrassment, is there some convenient way to tell when an issue has been resolved, in case one fails to notice the date?

P.S. Anon: You misspelled "louse" in your last paragraph.

Re: Is this a right use of a semicolon?

Grammar Geek — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 07:42:50 GMT

Just out of curiosity, what year is your Gregg manual?

Re: Is this a right use of a semicolon?

Anonymous — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 07:20:28 GMT

Actually, conjunctions after semicolons are very common.

Gregg Reference Manual: Seventh Canadian Edition

Rules:
176 a) When a coordinating conjunction (and, but , o, nor and sometimes for, so, or yet) is omitted between t between two independent clauses, use a semicolon--not a comma--to seperate the clauses. If you, prefer, you can treat the second clause as a seperate sentence.

177 a) A comma is normally used to seperate two independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction, However, under certain circumstances a semicolon is appropriate before the coordinating conjuction.

NORMAL BREAK: Man people are convinced that they could personaly solve the problem if geven the authority to do so, but no one will come forward with a clear-cut plan that we can evaluste in advance.

STRONG BREAK: Many people are convinced that they could personally solve the problem if geven the authority to do so; ubt no on ewill come forward with a clear-cut plan that we can evaluate in advance.

177 b) Use a semicolon when one or both clauses have internal commas, and a misreading might occur if a comma also seperated the clauses

The most common use of semi-colons is below.

178) When independent clauses are linked by transitional expressions(see a partial list below, use a semiccolon between the clauses. (If the second cluase is long or requires special emphasis, treat it as a separate sentence.)

accordingly      however                so
besides            moreover            that is
consequently    namely                  then
for example      nevertheless          therefore
furthermore      on the contrary      thus
hence               otherwise            yet

They have given us tan oral okay to proceed; however, we are still waiting for writeen confirmation.

Our costs have started to level off; our sales, moreover, have continued to grow.

Let's give them another month' then we can pin them down on their progress

NOTE: Use a comma after the transitional expression when it occurs at the start of a lause. (See the first example above.) However, no comma is needed after hence, then, thus so, and yet unless a pause is wanted at that point. (Multi sylabic conjunctions should be followed by a comma.)

Re: Is this a right use of a semicolon?

Grammar Geek — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:10:52 GMT

Anon, thanks for your contribution, but this post was over a year and a half old. Perhaps you can put your talents to more recent posts where the issue has not yet been resolved.

Re: Is this a right use of a semicolon?

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 00:40:52 GMT

The semicolon is wrong there. You need a comma because you are joining two independant clauses. He wears shoes with socks, but I prefer loafers myself. Or, you could have written: He wears shoes with socks; I prefer loafers myself. The semicolon negates the need for a conjunction.

Re: Is this a right use of a semicolon?

Grammar Geek — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 21:09:39 GMT

Not to mention the error in logic. My husband's loafers are quite expensive.

Re: Is this a right use of a semicolon?

paco2004 — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 06:47:09 GMT

I guess the questioner picked up this sentence from Grammar Station . Here they are teaching how to punctuate sentences and phrases, but I agree they are making two serious or stupid mistakes here. The first one is the grammatical error that GG pointed out. The second one is the redundant use of the coordinator "but". A semicolon works either "and" or "but" per se. I have a feeling the Grammar Station, as the whole, is a site useful to ESL students. But as far as this page is concerned, I have to admit the instruction there is not correct.

paco

Re: Is this a right use of a semicolon?

Clive — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 06:08:35 GMT

Hi guys,

I'd like to add a general comment about semi-colons.

I tell students not to over-use them. I suggest no more than one per month. Otherwise, every page they write will be full of semi-colons in every sentence.

I think you should save your semi-colon for a big and important effect, rather than wasting it on talking about shoes and socks.

Best wishes, Clive

Re: Is this a right use of a semicolon?

Grammar Geek — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 05:47:15 GMT

Generally, you should not use a conjunction after a semicolon.

An unrelated comment - "an expensive one" is obviously singular, but both shoes and socks are plural. So the sentence has an error unrelated to the semicolon issue.

Re: Is this a right use of a semicolon?

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 03:03:45 GMT

Mr.Paco, as you have implied, I feel that Number one is the best choice because the semicolon there brings the two sentences together and establishes an intimate relationship as the writer originally intended the two sentences to be.

Re: Is this a right use of a semicolon?

paco2004 — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 18:50:03 GMT

Anonymous wrote:

Hi,

I have a sentence below for your check-up for a proper semicolon use.

He wears shoes with socks, on expensive one; but I prefer loafers myself.

I think I read somewhere that you can not use a semicolon with "but"?

I suppose it should be: "He wears shoes with socks, an expensive one; but I prefer loafers myself."

You can use a semicolon to connect two sentences having a semantically intimate relation. All the sentences below given are correct as far as grammar concerns, but which one do you think best?
     (1) "He wears shoes with socks, an expensive one; but I prefer loafers myself."
     (2) "He wears shoes with socks, an expensive one, but I prefer loafers myself."
     (3) "He wears shoes with socks, an expensive one. But I prefer loafers myself."

paco

Is this a right use of a semicolon?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 12:16:00 GMT

Hi,

I have a sentence below for your check-up for a proper semicolon use.

He wears shoes with socks, on expensive one; but I prefer loafers myself.

I think I read somewhere that you can not use a semicolon with "but"?