From the course: Advanced Grammar (2017)
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Colons and semicolons
- [Narrator] How important are the semicolon and the colon, and how do they differ? They've been referred to as powerful punctuation marks, and they've been identified as possibly two of the three most misunderstood punctuation marks, the dash family is the third. The semicolon is number one on that most misunderstood list, and some writers say to avoid the semicolon completely, that it's just an arrogant punctuation mark. Before we delve to deeply into what you need to know to be among those who do know how to use a semicolon, let's use Abe Lincoln as our support for using the semicolon. Quote, "I must say I have a great respect for the semicolon; "it's a useful little chap," end of quote. Okay, so that's in the 1860's, but it is still regarded by most today as an important, powerful mark. So, let's charge ahead with our discussion. First, semicolons are used to connect ideas that are closely related, but some place between the pause with the comma, and the end of the thought with a…
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