The Semicolon

[Doggett]

Without the Semi-colon, I wouldn't be able to make the winky-smiley face to women I'm trying to have cyber-sex with.

I don't think ghouck is joking...

[Ash]

I remember being taught about it in school, but I've never really used it because I didn't know how or when.

I wrote that in my original post.
Would the semicolon work in that sentence?
It would read: "I remember being taught about it in school; but I've never really used it because I didn't know how or when".

Is that correct?

[Mofo Rising]

I remember being taught about it in school, but I've never really used it because I didn't know how or when.

I wrote that in my original post.
Would the semicolon work in that sentence?
It would read: "I remember being taught about it in school; but I've never really used it because I didn't know how or when".

Is that correct?

Not quite. Just remember that the semicolon is a bit less than a full period stop, but a bit more than a comma.

Since you added "but," the sentence only requires a comma. If you left that out, you could probably use the semicolon.

"I remember being taught about it in school; I've never really used it because..."

But you could probably just make it a period and get rid of worrying about it altogether.

Correct punctuation should be used to avoid ambiguity. Myself, I think when punctuation is properly used it should become invisible. I also try and get rid of extraneous bits whenever possible.

How awkward would this be?

Myself, I think, when punctuation is properly used, it should become invisible; I, also, try and get rid of extraneous bits, whenever possible.

A bit overpowering. Keep it simple.

[Derf]

I remember being taught about it in school, but I've never really used it because I didn't know how or when.

I wrote that in my original post.
Would the semicolon work in that sentence?
It would read: "I remember being taught about it in school; but I've never really used it because I didn't know how or when".

Is that correct?

Mofo Rising is correct. An alternate version of your sentence where a semicolon is needed might be:

"I remember being taught about it in school; however, I've never really used it because I didn't know how or when."

Another good point Mofo Rising made is that punctuation should seem invisible, only appearing to make a sentence's meaning clearer.

Punctuation "rules" (there are very few hard and fast rules in grammar; "conventions" is a better term) are fluid. That is, they change as society changes them, as do grammar and usage. One hundred years ago, there were definite "rules" about when to use "thou" or "you." As "thee" and "thou" fell out of general use, those conventions ceased. When I was in college, a group of teachers got together and codified all the comma rules in a "simple" form: State the rule, give one example, and then move on. There were about one hundred of them. By the time I started teaching composition courses, that number had dropped to about six.

If you are really interested in learning more about proper punctuation (and hey, who isn't?  ), go to a used book store and buy a recent grammar handbook such as The Little, Brown Handbook. Make sure it was published in the last five years or so. It should be cheap; few people keep them after college. Recent handbooks do a good job of explaining usage.

[3mnkids]

If you are really interested in learning more about proper punctuation (and hey, who isn't?  ), go to a used book store and buy a recent grammar handbook such as The Little, Brown Handbook. Make sure it was published in the last five years or so. It should be cheap; few people keep them after college. Recent handbooks do a good job of explaining usage.

I will see If I can find it. I'm terrible with punctuation.     Its embarrassing when my 13 yr old is looking over my shoulder as I type and starts correcting me.