Revise Fragments with Semicolons: Life Hack

When it comes to writing, the use of semicolons can help make a sentence more clear. And while they may seem tricky at first, the use of semicolons can be an easy life hack for improving your written work.

In this article, we’ll cover what semicolons are, when and how to use them, and why they can be a helpful tool in improving your writing.

What are Semicolons?

A semicolon is a punctuation mark that looks like a period with a comma attached to it ( ; ). It has two primary uses: linking closely related independent clauses, or separating items in a list.

When to Use Semicolons

Semicolons are used when two separate but related ideas are linked in one sentence. For example, "I went to the store; I bought some apples." In this sentence, both actions (go to the store and buy apples) are connected because they were done on the same trip.

Semicolons can also be used when listing items in a sentence. This helps clarify things if the items in the list all have commas themselves. For example, "I need to buy apples, oranges, grapes; and pears."

Why Use Semicolons?

The main reason to use semicolons is clarity. When writing, using semicolons can help improve the readability of a sentence because they make the relationships between ideas clear.

Some people might think that semicolons aren’t necessary, but they can actually be quite useful. In fact, writing without them can make a sentence difficult to understand.

Revise Fragments with Semicolons: Life Hack

Fragments are incomplete sentences that can’t stand alone as complete thoughts. To fix these, you can add a semicolon followed by a related independent clause. This will make your sentence clearer and more complete.

For example, “Went to the store” is a fragment. To make this a complete sentence, you could add a semicolon: “Went to the store; I bought some apples.”

In conclusion, the use of semicolons can be a great life hack for improving your writing. They can be especially helpful when revising fragments and making a sentence more understandable. Understanding when and how to use semicolons can help you become a better writer.