How to use a ";"

[Johnny Rockets]

I mean no offense Hawk, but I think people these days butcher the ellipsis more than any other type of punctuation. I've seen people on the Huddle write long paragraphs with ellipses being the only separation between thoughts.

And everyone loves to add an ellipsis to the ends of their sentences these days. I guess they just want to seem mysterious ...

<<<<guilty....it's out of laziness.....I usually don't have it at the end of a sentence though. I need to break that habit...I catch myself doing it on work emails also now.

[CanadianCat]

wow; this got out of hand!

[Scrumtrilescent]

You need to shift your punctuational paradigm, JR...you need to leverage your newfound grammatical knowledge to improve your work utility.

[Snake]

I mean no offense Hawk, but I think people these days butcher the ellipsis more than any other type of punctuation. I've seen people on the Huddle write long paragraphs with ellipses being the only separation between thoughts.

And everyone loves to add an ellipsis to the ends of their sentences these days. I guess they just want to seem mysterious ...

Most people don't even know it's called ellipses much less how to use it. I prob am as guilty as anyone of this. Then again just read a newspaper and you will even see errors there.

[Scrumtrilescent]

What's a newspaper?

[Panthro]

I've created the ellipsiicolon

for a super dramatic pause;;; use the ellipsiicolon

[Snake]

What's a newspaper?

another name for a Dinosaur;)

I've created the ellipsiicolon

for a super dramatic pause;;; use the ellipsiicolon

I see your ellipsiicolon and give you a good pounding ####

[theedaddy]

i use it to look smart, same reason i wear my black lend glasses. it gives that cultural vibe too!!! i am so smart, i am so smart, s-m-a-

[Samuel L. Jackson]

I use the ellipsis all the time to indicate my ever expanding, continual thought process...

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

I have to be this guy, huh?

Ok.

This is the only use of the semicolon today's generation really needs to learn.

; )

[pstall]

You need to shift your punctuational paradigm, JR...you need to leverage your newfound grammatical knowledge to improve your work utility.

I'm calling huddle linguistic foul

[Starscream]

Kral doesn't know how to use a semicolon; his example with the semi-colon isn't even the correct usage; it would only be a period there.

Semicolons can be used to streamline writing; reducing the number of sentances needed complete a thought.

Semicolons can be used to streamline writing. Semicolons can minimize the number of sentances used to complete a thought.

Kral's usage of the semicolon is correct in his example. You can use a semicolon to separate two independent clauses in the same sentence.

It's a worthless piece of punctuation; I suggest forgetting about it.

It's a worthless piece of punctuation. I suggest forgetting about it.

It's all good!

Sentence 2 would be a comma because there is no subject in the second phrase.

:auto:

I believe that "it's" (or rather just "it") is the subject of the first independent clasuse, and "I" would be the subject of the second independent clause. He can use a semicolon in that case.

The (ahem) 1970s Alabama English teachers of my high school would not accept semi-colon usage without a transitional word; however, they seemed to pick said acceptable words from their pointy little hats at random. It's as if using a semi-colon without a corresponding transition and additional comma would get them burned at the stake; interestingly, their fear was based in a witch hunt for run on sentences.

^their version of correct usage, not mine.

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Alabama is incorrect but normally (most of the time) transition words are placed after a semicolon.

Semicolons can also be used to separate items in a list if commas are confusing, such as: Williamsburg, VA; Charlotte, NC; Fayetteville, NC; New York City, NY; San Diego, CA; and Cincinnati, OH.

[CharlotteBeer.com]

I have never heard of transition words following semicolons. The purpose of a semicolon is two link two independent clauses, and therefore I don't see the point in forcing those transition words. An independent clause wouldn't contain a transition word; why would you use one when linking two independent clauses.

But you're right that they are very convenient with lists.

[Starscream]

I have never heard of transition words following semicolons. The purpose of a semicolon is two link two independent clauses, and therefore I don't see the point in forcing those transition words. An independent clause wouldn't contain a transition word; why would you use one when linking two independent clauses.

But you're right that they are very convenient with lists.

;however

;therefore

;as a result

These are common transition words that are used following semicolons. I don't normally use them, but they are acceptable and used quite often.