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The semicolon

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When should I use a semicolon when writing? A general set of rules is emphasized.

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Solution Summary

The semicolon is discussed in terms of usage. A general set of rules for the semicolon uses are given.

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The semicolon is a punctuation mark. There are several uses for semicolons, but their overall purpose is to demarcate and coordinate independent clauses. Independent clauses are words capable of being complete sentences in their own right. For example, "Nykia went to school but John stayed home sick." is a compound sentence demarcated and connected by the conjunction "and". So, we have two complete sentences that are made compound: "Nykia went to school." and "John ...

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