Semicolons: Their Three Uses

The semicolon — ; — serves as a valuable piece of punctuation in English writing. However, sometimes writers may be confused with its usage.

The fact is, there are only three uses for the semicolon. Here are the rules and an example of each.

Rule 1: Use a semicolon to join two closely related independent clauses.

One student decided to study the night before the test; another student decided to “cram” an hour before.

Rule 2: Use a semicolon before a conjunctive adverb if it is used to join two complete sentences.

The student who studied the night before made a passing grade; however, the one who decided to wait made a failing grade.

Rule 3: Use semicolons to separate items in a series that contain internal punctuation.

I went fishing with Jimmy, my best friend; Mike, my brother; and Jase, my oldest son.

In the simplified example above, if only commas were used, then the reader might mistake that I went fishing with five or six people.

So, there you have it. That’s a short lesson on semicolons and their three usages.

Pronouns

Today’s post is going to be simple. It’s about pronouns.

Pronouns are words used to replace other nouns in the sentence. Also, there are differences in pronouns depending on their case. We aren’t going to discuss those today, but the cases are subject, object, possessive, and reflexive.

Also, we have to consider if the pronoun needs to be singular or possessive. Then, there are problems concerning comparisons, compound construction, and who/whom constructions.

But, I said this one was going to be simple!

What I’m really doing is leading up to a lesson about a growing problem I’ve noticed in writing with pronoun/antecedent agreement. That will come later, but to introduce you to pronouns we have another “blast from the past.”

Watch this edition of School House Rock, and you will be introduced to most pronouns. Once again, the lyrics are provided to help you follow along. Enjoy!

Now, I have a friend named Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla,
And I could say that Rufus found a kangaroo
That followed Rufus home
And now that kangaroo belongs
To Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla.
Whew! I could say that, but I don’t have to,
‘Cause I got pronouns,
I can say, “HE found a kangaroo that followed HIM home and now IT is HIS”

You see, (uh) HE, HIM, and HIS are pronouns,
Replacing the noun
Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla,
A very proper noun.
And IT is a pronoun, replacing the noun, kangaroo! (How common!)

Now Rufus has a sister named Rafaella Gabriela Sarsaparilla.
If she found a kangaroo I’d say to you:
“SHE found a kangaroo that followed HER home, and now it is HERS.”
But I can’t say that…
‘Cause she found an aardvark
That fell in love with HER and THEY’re so happy.

And my name’s Albert Andreas Armadillo.
(No relation to the Sarsaparillas.)
Because of pronouns, I can say:
“I wish SHE would find a rhinoceros for ME, and WE’d be happy.”
You see, a pronoun was made to take the place of a noun,
‘Cause saying all those nouns over and over
Can really wear you down!

Now I could tell you Rafaella Gabriela and Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla and Albert Andreas Armadillo found an aardvark, a kangaroo, and a rhinoceros. And now that aardvark and that kangaroo and that rhinoceros belong respectively to Rafaella Gabriela Sarsaparilla and Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla and Albert Andreas Armadillo!

Whew! Because of pronouns I can say, in this way:
“WE found THEM and THEY found US, and now THEY are OURS and WE’re so happy.” Thank you pronoun!

You see a pronoun was made to take the place of a noun,
‘Cause saying all those nouns over and over
Can really wear you down.

Sometimes, when we take ‘em all on the bus
People really raise a fuss.
They start shouting out a lot o’ pronouns at us, like
“WHO brought that rhinoceros on this bus?” and
“WHAT made that horrible noise?” and
“WHICH one of them is getting off first?”

WHO, WHAT, and WHICH are special pronouns that can ask a question
In a sentence where you do not know the name of the noun,
But I know:
I have MINE, and SHE has HERS,
and he has his. Do YOU have YOURS?
THEY love US, and WE love THEM,
WHAT’s OURS is THEIRS–
That’s how it is with friends,
And pronouns, you are really friends, yeah!

‘Cause saying all those nouns over and over
Can really wear you down.

This first aired in 1977. The music is by Bob Dorough. The lyrics are by Kathy Mandary. It was performed by Jack Sheldon. Animation is by Phil Kimmelman and Associates.

There is no “I” in “Me.”

What’s up with people not being able to pick the right pronoun between these two? There are two choices: “I” or “me.”

I realize this is more problematic in the spoken word, but I am starting to see it more and more in written communication.

Here’s the deal. The pronoun “I” is to be used in the subject part of the sentence. The pronoun “me” is to be used as an object. The problem is when other people are thrown in the mix.

Don’t know the difference between subject and object? Well, don’t worry! Here’s the QUICK FIX.

When you find yourself puzzled over which pronoun to choose, kick the other people out of the sentence as you proofread. Then, you can choose the right one.

Andy, Barney, Opie, and me are going down to the drugstore to get a soda. WRONG.

Now, kick out Andy, Barney, and Opie.

Me are going down to the drugstore to get a soda.

How does that sound? Obviously, it would be “I am going down . . . ”

After ordering our sodas, the clerk told Andy, Barney, and I that the soda machine was broken. WRONG.

Kick them out again.

The clerk told I that the soda machine was broken.

How does that sound? Obviously, it would be “The clerk told me . . . ”

You see? It’s not that difficult to make the right decision. This trick also applies to the other pronouns “he,” “him,” “she,” and “her.”

If you are writing or speaking and are mixing yourself in with other people, THROW THEM OUT of the sentence, and the correct pronoun will surface.

It’s that simple.

Who or Whom?

“Who” and “whom” are two words that challenge many writers and speakers everyday. Their usage is sometimes confusing because the sentence doesn’t “sound” right. Because of this, many people tend to overthink the structure and this usually causes problems.

“Who” is used in the subjective case, and “whom” is used in the objective case.

However, there are a few methods that can be used to help determine whether or not it is proper to use “who/whoever” and “whom/whomever.” So, here are a few easy tips to remember:

1. Can the sentence be reworked to avoid the choice? Is the word even necessary?

Kevin called a consultant whom he met at the conference.
Kevin called a consultant he met at the conference.

2. Substitute “he/she” for “who” and “him/her” for “whom.” This will work even if you have to change the order of the words a little.

Whom are you going to the prom with? I am going with him/her.
I knew the student who made the highest grade. He/she made the highest grade.

3. All action verbs must have a subject. This overules the above, especially when the pronoun follows a preposition and the writer wants to use objective case but shouldn’t.

I am saving the last piece of pie for whoever mows the lawn. Here there has to be a subject (he/she) for the action verb “mows.”
They gave a trophy to whoever sold the most donuts. Here there has to be a subject (he/she) for the action verb “sold.”

Certainly, these are simplified tips. However, when used correctly, they will work when you need them to.

Which one do you think will help you the most?

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Subjects and Predicates and Schoolhouse Rock!

Writing tips and grammar lessons don’t have to be boring! They can be fun and entertaining, as well! Right? You bet! (We’ll cover interjections later ).

Today’s topic covers subjects and predicates. And, to help with the lesson is a “blast from the past.” Schoolhouse Rock has been lost to Saturday morning cartoon viewers for many years. But, we are going to dust it off and bring back an episode to help us.

One step in becoming a better writer is not just concentrating on sentence structure, but also understanding the parts of the sentence. All sentences must have a subject and a verb.

The subject is a noun (person, place, or thing) and usually answers the question “who or what the sentence is about?” Often, it is found very early in the sentence.

The predicate is the verb. If it is an action verb it tells the reader what the subject is doing. If it is a linking verb (i.e. is, was) it links the subject to other parts of the sentence that describe or identify the subject to the reader.

But, why bore you with this? Watch “The Tale of Mr. Morton” and learn for yourself. This first aired in December of 1993. Enjoy.

(By the way, the lyrics are included to help you follow along.)

This is the tale of Mister Morton
Mister Morton is who?
He is the subject of our tale
and the predicate tells what Mister
Morton must do

Mister Morton walked down the street
Mister Morton walked
Mister Morton talked to his cat
Mister Morton talked
(Hello, cat. You look good.)
Mister Morton was lonely
Mister Morton was

Mister Morton is the subject of the
sentence, and what the predicate says,
he does

Mister Morton knew just one girl
Mister Morton knew
Mister Morton grew flowers for Pearl
Mister Morton grew
Mister Morton was very shy
Mister Morton was

Mister Morton is the subject of the
sentence, and what the predicate says,
he does

The subject is a noun,
that’s person, place or thing
It’s who or what the sentence is about
And the predicate is the verb
That’s the action word
that gets the subject up and out

Mister Morton wrote Pearl a poem
Mister Morton wrote
Pearl replied in the afternoon
Pearl replied by a note
Mister Morton was very nervous
Mister Morton was

Mister Morton is the subject of the
sentence, and what the predicate says,
he does!

The cat stretched,
the sun beat down,
a neighbor chased his kid.
(come here kid - come on!)
Each sentence is completed when
you know the subject did.

Mister Morton knocked on her door
Mister Morton knocked
Mister Morton sat on her porch
Yes, he just sat and rocked.
Mister Morton was a nervous man;
when she opened up the door he ran.

Mister Morton climbed up his stairs
Mister Morton climbed
Mister Morton rhymed pretty words
Mister Morton rhymed
Mister Morton was lonely
Mister Morton was
until Pearl showed up with a single rose.
Who says women can’t propose?
Now Mister Morton is happy
and Pearl and the cat are too

They’re the subjects of the sentence
and what the predicate says, they do

This video was performed by the famous voice of Jack Sheldon. The music and lyrics are by Lynn Ahrens, and the animation was by J.J. Sedelmaier Productions.

Conjunctive Adverbs And Their Use

Conjunctive adverbs are also known as adverbial conjunctions. The reason is that they, too, are used to join two closely related independent clauses. However, they cannot be punctuated like conjunctions.

When you use a conjuctive adverb to join two independent clauses, the punctuation should be as follows: semicolon|adverbial conjunction|comma.

Why do we use conjunctive adverbs? Why don’t we just use conjunctions? Well, the simple explanation is that adverbial conjunctions sound more formal. But, the real reason is that they lend more emphasis to the clause to which it is attached.

Here is an example:

Our meal was late, and it was overcooked.
Our meal was late; furthermore, it was overcooked.

There are many different adverbial conjunctions that perform different duties to help writers lead their readers in different directions. Here they are:

To add to an idea: likewise, also, in addition, besides, furthermore, and moreover
To show results: thus, therefore, accordingly, hence
To contrast: however, nevertheless, nonetheless, consequently
To show time: meanwhile
To show emphasis: indeed, in fact
To show likeness: likewise, similarly
To show an alternative: otherwise, instead, on the other hand

Just remember that when you are joining two independent clauses with one of these, insert a semicolon before it and a comma after it. If you simply place a comma before it, then you have just made a comma splice error.

Number One Proofreading Tip

UPDATE: This post appeared previously from a student site of mine. I thought it would be useful here, too.

There are many tips and strategies that we can employ to improve our writing. The most obvious one is proofreading our text. Likewise, there are different proofreading exercises that prove to be effective for many people.

One of the most effective is often overlooked and sometimes never used. This great tip can help you identify problems with your text and, subsequently, improve it.

Here it is: Read Your Paper To Yourself Aloud.

That’s right. It may sound strange, but it works.

There are two reasons for this. One, when we proofread our own writing, it’s normally done silently. However, often we aren’t reading what we’ve written; we are skimming. This is natural because we are so familiar with the material. This can lead to our missing mistakes. Two, being humans, we are blessed with large brains capable of completing unimaginable tasks. One of these is being about to think faster than our mouths can speak. This is very helpful because we are forced to slow down, and this enables us to identify mistakes we might have overlooked. Also, because we are capable of recognizing sounds, we can “hear” our mistakes through the spoken word.

Go ahead and try it! If you are afraid of getting strange looks from others, find a place to be alone. If not, do it wherever you please. Who knows? Someone listening may have a better grasp of English than you and might hear something you are missing.

It doesn’t hurt anything to try. If you find this helpful, let me know.

Conjunctive Adverbs Are NOT The Same As Conjunctions

When reading essays, I have noticed a trend in people using conjunctive adverbs as if they were conjunctions. I do not understand the reason for this, but the problem seems to be growing.

Conjunctions are words used for linking words, phrases, and clauses. There is a very simple method for memorizing the most common. Just remember the term “FANBOYS.” Each letter stands for a coordinating conjunction.

Here they are: F(for), A(and), N(nor), B(but), O(or), Y(yet), S(so).

The key rule to remember is that if you are using one of these to join two complete sentences, then you must place a comma before it.

The lady in the red car just ran the stop sign, so the police officer is now giving her a citation.

The problem I am seeing is that some writers would mistakenly insert a conjunctive adverb here.

The lady in the red car just ran the stop sign, therefore, the police officer is now giving her a citation.

Here the conjunctive adverb is “therefore” and all the writer has managed to do is create a comma splice. (Comma splices are when two complete sentences are joined by a comma.)

Common conjunctive adverbs (not all) include the following: furthermore, likewise, however, nevertheless, accordingly, instead, indeed, in fact, and meanwhile.

If any of these are used to join two complete sentences, then the writer must either insert a period and capitalize the adverb or insert a semicolon before it.

The lady in the red car just ran the stop sign. Therefore, the police officer is now giving her a citation.

The lady in the red car just ran the stop sign; therefore, the police officer is now giving her a citation.

There is more to come on conjunctive adverbs and their use. Also, I’ll address comma splices and the four methods to correct them.

I want to thank DailyWritingTips and their posting concerning adverbs for reminding me of this. Visit Daniel’s site for more great advice on writing skills.

Cool Word Game

Word games are cool ways to learn and have fun. Obviously, most of those found on the Internet are for the young school children. But, that doesn’t mean EVERYONE can’t benefit from them.

Here is a cool game from millsberry.com. My son introduced it to me and we had a blast last night playing it. The game is called “Solver” Basically you have to find all the available words in a string of letters. Also, you have to beat the clock.

This is a great way for anyone to build up his or her vocabulary, whether a native English speaker or ESL student. It’s fun to play alone or with others, especially your school-age children.

This website is obviously a children’s site, but some of the educational games on it are so cool. You can play the games for free, or you can sign-up (free) for and account and accrue points.

Visit this game and let me know what you think about it! Also, while you are at it, click the big orange button and subscribe to my RSS feed for news and updates.