One job of
semicolons is to join two or more related independent clauses.
Example: Lisa was embarrassed; she’d worn jeans to what turned out
to be a formal occasion.
Although
usually dull fellows, semicolons can add sizzle when they balance or contrast similarly constructed clauses.
Examples:
The
bridge was too high; the tunnel was too low.
Days
line up like ducks; nights lie down like dogs.
One
enthusiastic fan raved over the author’s debut novel; another claimed it for
sure a rising star; thousands clamored for a copy.
Readers
will catch the sizzle. Try it ~ they’ll like it!
THURSDAY: DECEMBER CRITIQUE WINNER'S ENTRY
FRIDAY: THE CRITIQUE
THURSDAY: DECEMBER CRITIQUE WINNER'S ENTRY
FRIDAY: THE CRITIQUE
I rarely used semicolons until the last few years. They can be quite powerful, particularly in nonfiction writing. But I've never given them as much thought as you have. Nice job.
ReplyDeleteI hear they're not in favor nowadays, at least not in fiction writing. Makes me crabby whenever perfectly good punctuation is snubbed. Thanks for valuing them! :)
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