Job 1: joining two linked sentences
A semicolon ; can join two complete sentences that are closely linked, instead of using a full stop or a word like and, but or so.
- It was pouring with rain; we stayed inside.
- I love football; my brother prefers rugby.
Test: each side of the semicolon must make sense as a sentence on its own.
Job 2: separating items in a tricky list
When list items already contain commas, semicolons keep them apart:
We visited Belfast, Northern Ireland; Dublin, Ireland; and Cardiff, Wales.
Semicolon or colon?
| ; semicolon | joins two linked sentences | It was late; we went home. |
|---|---|---|
| : colon | introduces a list or an explanation | You will need: a pencil, a ruler and a rubber. |
Watch out! No capital letter after a semicolon (unless the word is a name or I). And don’t use one after words like although or because: that part isn’t a full sentence.
Top tip: if you could put a full stop there instead, a semicolon will usually work too.
🎮 Semicolon senseQuestion 1 of 5