PUNCTUATIONS; SEMICOLON and DASH

PUNCTUATIONS

(Semi Colon and Dash)

1.      SEMICOLON ( ; ).

The semicolon separates two very closely related ideas of first and second sentence. A semicolon is used to Link two complete sentences without a Conjunction such as and or but.

But you should also use a semicolon when you Link two complete sentence with a conjunctive adverb such as However, therefore, and nevertheless.

Using Semicolon :

1.       Semicolon is used to join two phrases that could stand alone as sentences instead of using a conjunction (and,but,or,so,and etc).

Ø  Examples            : a. She is beautiful ; she is Lazy.

  b. The weather was So hot ; I was so thirsty.

2.       Semicolon is used to join two phrases that could stand alone as sentences joined by a conjunctive adverb (however,therefore,in addition,thus,meanwhile,etc).

Ø  Examples            : a. father still smoke ; however, mother is always angry at  him.

  b. many poor people in our country ; therefore, our goverment must

      give job vacancy to Them.

3.       To join relates ideas.

Ø  Examples            : a. my mother is a Nurse ; My father is a Doctor.

  b. I hate you ; I miss you.

4.       Semicolon may separate elements of a series that are complex or require internal commas.

Ø  Examples            : a. committee members were H. khoir, NASA goddardSpace Flight

                                     Center, Greenbelt, Maryland ; A.L. Carswell, York University, North

                                     York, Canada ; and E.V. Browell, NASA Langley ResearchCenter,

                                     Hampton, Virginia.

2.      DASH ( - ).

A punctuation mark that is often typed as two hyphens side by side without no space between them and the words on either side of it.

Using Dash :

1.       To separate the word in the middle of sentence from the rest of the sentence.

Ø  Example              : a. The man-you meet in the Mall-is actually my cousin.

2.       Used to restricted Clause.

Ø  Examples            : a. I studied at Senior High School from 2005-2008.

  b. you are able to add sugar 3-6 spoon.

3.       The Dash separates unessential or parenthetical elements from the core sentence.

Ø  Example              : a. Two state Universities –UIN SUSKA and UNRI- are located in Pekan

                                      Baru ( UIN SUSKA and UNRI  is the parenthetical elements of the

                                      Sentence ).