“Hey, David. Did you notice the two semi-colons that I used in my essay?” Alvin asked me as he entered the classroom.

It’s easy to think that ESL students can live without semi-colons. However, after doing a brief lesson with them, I found that they not only can understand what they are, but also, how useful they can be.

As an introduction to semi-colons, I explain just three general points:

1) Semi-colons and periods are basically the same. Wherever we use a period, we can use a semi-colon (in other words, between two independent clauses.)

2) We can use them when we want to connect ideas.

3) We can use them to avoid repeating conjunctions (e.g., and, but, so).

Examples of the general points.

1) Semi-colons and periods are basically the same. Wherever we use a period, we can use a semi-colon.

• I got a new dog yesterday. He has a lot of energy.
• I got a new dog yesterday; he has a lot of energy.

2) We can use them when we want to connect ideas.

• Sonia likes swimming; her brother enjoys running.
• A tornado hit our town; five houses were destroyed.

3) We can use them to avoid repeating conjunctions (e.g., and, but, so).

Early in the paragraph, the writer used the conjunction “but.” Later, she wrote:

•During our hike, it started to rain, but we continue walk.
(revised) During our hike, it started to rain; we continued to walk.

Common mistake: Putting a semi-colon between a dependent and independent clause
* After losing his job; he decided to return to school.

Examples of semi-colons used effectively by students

(Kayo) The school term ended; we immediately started to celebrate.
(Eduardo) After that, the police left; the family was relieved.
(Curry) Everyone wants to impress their first date; clothes are a good place to start.

We writing teachers can help student internalize the effectiveness of semi-colons by giving students a hint on their papers and indicating places they used them well. For example:

(Giving hints. This is a part of Thi’s paragraph).

(Indicate—in green— where done well. This is part of Alvin’s paragraph.)

For two, short semi-colon exercises that have been effective for helping students use them correctly in their writing, click on this attachment.  Semi-colon Exercises . Feel free to use them with your students.

David Kehe
Faculty Emeritus

*About the free-download materials. During my 40 years of teaching ESL, I have had many colleagues who were very generous with their time, advice and materials. These downloads are my way of paying it forward.