Semicolons (Part One)
They’re not as intimidating as they look!
Ah, the semicolon. More than a comma, less than a full stop, and the source of far more fear and confusion than its flamboyant cousin, the em dash. In fact, most people I know tend to quietly avoid it and hope it’ll go away.
However, the semicolon can add clarity and nuance to your writing, and I hope that by the end of this two-part SPAG snippet I’ll have convinced you to give it a try.
As fiction writers you’ll mainly be using semicolons in two ways: to separate items in a complex list and to link two independent clauses together. (Don’t worry, I’ll explain what those are when the time comes!) However, in the interests of keeping these snippets to snippet-like length, let’s focus on one use at a time.
Use 1: separating items in a list
We all know that for simple lists you need to use a comma to separate items:
Overcome by a spirit of procrastination, he deep cleaned the kitchen, tidied the living room and alphabetised his DVD collection before finally settling down to write his novel.
But what if the items on the list are a bit more complex and contain commas themselves?
Overcome by a spirit of procrastination, he deep cleaned the kitchen, which wasn’t really necessary, tidied the living room, which, to be fair, was pretty messy, and alphabetised his DVD collection, which took him several hours, before finally settling down to write his novel.
Aargh! See how confusing that sentence it? So. Many. Commas! Now read it again with semicolons inserted to separate the list items:
Overcome by a spirit of procrastination, he deep cleaned the kitchen, which wasn’t really necessary; tidied the living room, which, to be fair, was pretty messy; and alphabetised his DVD collection, which took him several hours, before finally settling down to write his novel.
Phew! That makes things a bit clearer! Notice as well that you do need to have the semicolon before the ‘and’ when introducing the final item in the list. (With simple lists, that final ‘serial’ comma is usually a matter of personal choice.)
Here’s another example where a semicolon is needed:
She met George, an old ex-boyfriend, Jenny, a former colleague and Cassandra, a fellow knitter, in the park that day.
Wait… how many people was that?
She met George, an old ex-boyfriend; Jenny, a former colleague; and Cassandra, a fellow knitter, in the park that day.
Oh… right, just the three then.
You also have the option to use semicolons to divide a list when the items are quite long:
On the menu today we have a delicious French onion soup with gently toasted cheese croutons; a tender sirloin steak served with garlic butter and crispy frites; and a silky-smooth crème brûlée that will have you quite simply rhapsodising with joy.
Hmm… anyone else feeling a bit peckish now?
Ahem.
Anyway, that’s all there is to it, really. It’s pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it, but if you need a bit more practice, try inserting semicolons into the sentences below to improve their clarity. (Answers at the bottom of this page!)
I have a dog, a lovely chap called Benji, a cat, which likes to climb my curtains, and two goldfish, Fenella and Pumpkin.
A proper breakfast should include a cup of tea, preferably loose leaf, two pork sausages, although you can go for vegetarian if you prefer, and hot, buttered toast.
Hopefully this has clarified that particular use of the semicolon for you anyway. Stay tuned for Part Two where we learn about linking independent clauses!
I’m off to get some dinner now. Mmm… garlic butter…
Answers:
I have a dog, a lovely chap called Benji
;a cat, which likes to climb my curtains;and two goldfish, Fenella and Pumpkin.A proper breakfast should include a cup of tea, preferably loose leaf
;two pork sausages, although you can go for vegetarian if you prefer;and hot, buttered toast.