Semi colon
Independent clause ; Independent clause
They are good friends; they do everything together.
Comma
Dependent clause, independent clause
Although they are good friends, they do not spend a lot of time together.
comma and semicolon
This topic has expert replies
Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction |
GMAT/MBA Expert
-
[email protected]
- Elite Legendary Member
- Posts: 10392
- Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pm
- Location: Palo Alto, CA
- Thanked: 2867 times
- Followed by:511 members
- GMAT Score:800
Hi Fiona,
In real basic terms, commas are used to present a "pause" in a sentence. The comma usually presents a grammar rule (usually modification or parallelism).
Semicolons are used to present two ideas that could be their own individual sentences, but share a common idea/subject.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
In real basic terms, commas are used to present a "pause" in a sentence. The comma usually presents a grammar rule (usually modification or parallelism).
Semicolons are used to present two ideas that could be their own individual sentences, but share a common idea/subject.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
GMAT/MBA Expert
-
Mike@Magoosh
- GMAT Instructor
- Posts: 768
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 4:18 pm
- Location: Berkeley, CA
- Thanked: 387 times
- Followed by:140 members
I'm happy to help.Fiona wrote:Can anyone explain the usage of comma and semicolon.
Thanks,
Fiona
Commas are almost always used to separate a subordinate clause from an independent clause. If two independent clauses are separated by a coordinating conjunction that shows a change in direction (e.g. "but", "yet", etc.), this would require a comma. When two independent clauses are separated only by a comma, with no conjunction, this is called a comma-splice, one kind of run-on sentence. See:
https://gmat.magoosh.com/lessons/916-run-on-sentences
Mistakes with commas & conjunctions are common on the GMAT SC. The use of other punctuation is a much rarer topic.
I agree with what Rich says --- sometimes, when we want to show some essential connection between two independent clauses, we might join them with a semicolon.
Seven were accused of the crime; ultimately, only four were convicted.
We must be careful. If the second clause provides some kind of explanation or essential clarification for the first clause, then we might use a colon or a dash. I would say that would be the correct punctuation in melguy's sentence:
They are good friends: they do everything together.
I think the colon, or a dash, works much better in that sentence than does a semicolon.
I don't know that I have every seen colons and dashes, as separators of independent clauses, on the GMAT. The GMAT uses colons for listing examples. The GMAT only rarely has a sentence with a semicolon.
Does all this make sense?
Mike
Magoosh GMAT Instructor
https://gmat.magoosh.com/
https://gmat.magoosh.com/
