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- Another Incorrect Use of the Semicolon-
Another common writing error is to use the semicolon to link a dependent clause:
To get his catch to market, fisherman Chang looked up at his sails and whistled; which he believed would cause the wind to rise.
The first half of this sentence can stand aloneóit is an independent clause. The second half cannot stand alone because it is dependent on the prior clause. Always use a comma, not a semicolon, to link a dependent clause:
To get his catch to market, fisherman Chang looked up at his sails and whistled, which he believed would cause the wind to rise.
- Overusing the Semicolon -
Our final example of things not to do with a semicolon shows a bad writing habit:
Like most fisherman, Chang worked long hours; he was proud of his work ethic; yet his friends noticed he was slowing down; it worried them; he claimed he felt fine; but it appeared Chang was only denying his declining health.
Use the semicolon, but don't overuse it. Readers should be guided and surprised; they should not be bullied and bored by monotone punctuation. One way to rewrite the above sentence doesn't even use a semicolon:
Like most fisherman, Chang worked long hours and was proud of his work ethic. His friends, however, noticed that he was slowing down, which worried them. He claimed he felt fine, but it appeared Chang was only denying his declining health.
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