✨ Lesson 4: The Semicolon (;) - Joining Closely Related Ideas
Today, we will learn about a more advanced punctuation mark: the semicolon1 ( ; ). A semicolon is like a "super-comma". It is stronger than a comma, but weaker than a full stop.
Its main job is to connect two independent clauses2 that are closely related3 in meaning.
The Main Rule: Connecting Two Complete Sentences
You can use a semicolon to join two complete sentences without a FANBOYS conjunction (and, but, so, etc.). You do this when the two sentences are so closely related that they feel like they belong together as one thought.
[Complete Sentence 1] ; [Complete Sentence 2].
Examples:
- The tour of Angkor Wat was amazing; I learned so much about its history.
- I have a lot of work to do tonight; I can't go out for dinner.
- The market was very crowded; it was difficult to walk around.
Semicolon vs. Comma vs. Full Stop
Using a semicolon is a stylistic choice. Look at the different ways to connect the same two ideas:
| Punctuation Choice | Example |
|---|---|
| Full Stop (two separate sentences) | The tour guide was excellent. He knew so much. |
| Comma + Conjunction (a compound sentence) | The tour guide was excellent, and he knew so much. |
| Semicolon (shows a very close link) | The tour guide was excellent; he knew so much. |
| Comma Splice4 (INCORRECT!) |
The most important thing to remember is that you cannot use a comma alone to join two complete sentences. This is a "comma splice" error. You must use a full stop, a comma + conjunction, or a semicolon.
🧠 Practice Quiz: Correct or Incorrect?
Is the semicolon used correctly in these sentences?
- The weather was perfect; we took many beautiful photos.
→ Correct. (The two ideas are closely related). - I was very tired; so I went to bed early.
→ Incorrect. (Do not use a conjunction like 'so' after a semicolon). - He is a tour guide; his brother is a chef.
→ Correct. (The two ideas are a close comparison). - The temple was ancient; I bought a coconut.
→ Incorrect. (The two ideas are not closely related).
📝 Homework: Join the Sentences
Join these pairs of sentences into a single sentence using a semicolon.
Example: The food was delicious. It was also very fresh. → The food was delicious; it was also very fresh.
1. The sunrise was beautiful. The sky was full of color.
→ ________________________________________________.
2. I have to wake up at 5 AM tomorrow. I should go to sleep now.
→ ________________________________________________.
(Answers: 1. The sunrise was beautiful; the sky was full of color. 2. I have to wake up at 5 AM tomorrow; I should go to sleep now.)
Vocabulary Glossary
- Semicolon: (Noun) - សញ្ញាក្បៀសចុច (sanhnha kbiĕh'chŏch) - The punctuation mark ( ; ) used to connect closely related independent clauses. ↩
- Independent Clause: (Noun) - ឃ្លាឯករាជ្យ (khlēa aek'kâ'rĭəch) - A group of words that can be a complete sentence by itself. ↩
- Closely Related: (Phrase) - ទាក់ទងគ្នាយ៉ាងជិតស្និទ្ធ (teăk'tông khnēa yeang chĭt'snĭt) - Having a strong connection in meaning. ↩
- Comma Splice: (Noun) - កំហុសប្រើក្បៀស (kâmhŏh prae kbiĕh) - An error where two independent clauses are joined only by a comma. ↩