Writing Tip of the Week

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February 15, 2016

Writing Tip of the Week

Semicolons

The semicolon (;) is one of the easiest punctuation marks to use for connecting major sentence elements of equal grammatical rank.

1.

To Separate Main, or Independent, Clauses Not Joined by a Coordinating Conjunction

(and, but, or, for, nor, yet, so). Main Clauses Joined by a Semicolon Should be Closely

Related in Meaning.

All of the elements of battery were present ; it was a prima facie case .

Not: All of the elements of battery were present; and it was a prima facie case .

2. To Join Two Main Clauses When Using a Conjunctive Adverb Between Them

The jury decision was inconsistent with the facts ; therefore, an appeal is probable.

Note: the conjunctive adverb is usually followed by a comma.

Some of the most common conjunctive adverbs are the following: accordingly also further furthermore likewise meanwhile similarly still anyway besides hence however moreover then nevertheless thereafter certainly indeed next therefore consequently incidentally nonetheless thus

3. To Separate Items in a List Introduced by a Colon

The following elements of assault are present: (1) the act was intentional ; (2) the gesture caused reasonable apprehension of an imminent and harmful touching ; and (3) the actor was not privileged to make the gesture.

4. To Separate Components When a List Already Contains Commas

In attendance were the firms of Abel, Baker , and Crony ; Gargle, Koff, and Sneaze ; and

Flanders, Moe, and Barney.

Adapted from: The Legal Writing Handbook

—Oates, Enquist, & Kunsch

Prepared by Jennifer Lussier and Chris Dunn

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