doubt regarding the use of semicolon

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atulmangal: Legendary Member; Posts: 1112; Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:16 amFollowed by: 49 members; Thanked: 77 times

by atulmangal » Fri Mar 25, 2011 5:55 am

The attempts of the English to settle Roanoke Island in the sixteenth century were foiled by unsuccessful voyages that were taken in order to retrieve supplies from England; which delayed, for example, John White's return trip for three years, causing settlers to abandon the island.

(A) England; which delayed, for example, John White's return trip

(B) England; for example, to delay John White's return trip

(C) England; for example, John White's return trip was delayed

(D) England, like to delay John White's return trip

(E) England, such as delaying John White's return trip

Guys the OA is C, my doubt is regarding the use of semicolon.....??? if i'm wrong the semicolon is used to separate 2 independent clauses...here the second clause is starting with "For example"...in this case can we say the second clause is also independent and a complete sentence?????
Please clear

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HSPA: Legendary Member; Posts: 1101; Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2011 7:26 amFollowed by: 13 members; Thanked: 47 times; GMAT Score:640

by HSPA » Fri Mar 25, 2011 6:02 am

atulmangal wrote:The attempts of the English to settle Roanoke Island in the sixteenth century were foiled by unsuccessful voyages that were taken in order to retrieve supplies from England; which delayed, for example, John White's return trip for three years, causing settlers to abandon the island.

(A) England; which delayed, for example, John White's return trip

(B) England; for example, to delay John White's return trip [No one caused the delay]

(C) England; for example, John White's return trip was delayed

(D) England, like to delay John White's return trip [Like ??? eeeevvv... ]

(E) England, such as delaying John White's return trip [such as the delay in john's return ... could be very good]

You are very right... they are two seperate items.. for example is correct.. see me quote in E or the delay in john's return made the settlers to abondenthe

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MAAJ: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 243; Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 7:12 amFollowed by: 2 members; Location: Dominican Republic; Thanked: 31 times; GMAT Score:480

by MAAJ » Fri Mar 25, 2011 7:34 am

Semicolon (; ) -> Connects two Independent Clause (IC). Each clause must be able to stand alone as an independent sentence

Conjunctive Adverb (CA) -> Semicolon is often followed by a CA. In this way, we can modify the equal relationship that a bare semicolon implies. CA list: however, therefore, nonetheless, nevertheless, in addition. These CA must be preceded by a semicolon and not by a COMMA.

Here "For Example" works as a CA so the Independent Clause is:

"John White's return trip was delayed for three years, causing settlers to abandon the island"

"There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results."

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tetura84: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 165; Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 7:33 pmFollowed by: 1 member; Location: Pune, India; Thanked: 16 times

by tetura84 » Fri Mar 25, 2011 11:09 am

The pattern here is,
IC + SEMICOLON + CONJUNCTIVE ADVERB + COMMA + IC

Another usage of semicolon,
IC + SEMICOLON + IC

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atulmangal: Legendary Member; Posts: 1112; Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:16 amFollowed by: 49 members; Thanked: 77 times

by atulmangal » Fri Mar 25, 2011 8:55 pm

Thanks MAAJ and Tetura

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karthikpandian19: Legendary Member; Posts: 1665; Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 7:04 pmFollowed by: 70 members; Thanked: 165 times

by karthikpandian19 » Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:18 am

OE for this question:

In this sentence, the use of which changes the clause after the semicolon into a dependent clause, which cannot stand on its own as a complete sentence. A semicolon can only connect two clauses if each is able to stand alone as a sentence. Furthermore, unsuccessful voyages did not delay John White's return trip; rather, John White's return trip was an example of an unsuccessful voyage.

Choice C is correct. Two independent clauses are separated by a semicolon, and there are no logical errors. The delay of John's White return trip was indeed an unsuccessful voyage that foiled the attempts of the English to settle Roanoke Island.

Choice B also contains a fragment after the semicolon; to delay John White's return trip... does not correspond to a verb.

Choice D incorrectly uses the word like, which must compare one noun to another. To delay is not a noun compared to another noun in this sentence.

Choice E employs the construction such as delaying. In the context of this sentence, such as should introduce examples of unsuccessful voyages. Delaying John White's return trip is not itself an example of an unsuccessful voyage; it is an action that caused a voyage to be unsuccessful.

Choice C is correct.

atulmangal wrote:The attempts of the English to settle Roanoke Island in the sixteenth century were foiled by unsuccessful voyages that were taken in order to retrieve supplies from England; which delayed, for example, John White's return trip for three years, causing settlers to abandon the island.

(A) England; which delayed, for example, John White's return trip

(B) England; for example, to delay John White's return trip

(C) England; for example, John White's return trip was delayed

(D) England, like to delay John White's return trip

(E) England, such as delaying John White's return trip

Guys the OA is C, my doubt is regarding the use of semicolon.....??? if i'm wrong the semicolon is used to separate 2 independent clauses...here the second clause is starting with "For example"...in this case can we say the second clause is also independent and a complete sentence?????
Please clear

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Karthik
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jimmyjimmy: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 148; Joined: Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:08 pm; Thanked: 8 times

by jimmyjimmy » Tue Jun 19, 2012 5:35 am

Choice E employs the construction such as delaying. In the context of this sentence, such as should introduce examples of unsuccessful voyages. Delaying John White's return trip is not itself an example of an unsuccessful voyage; it is an action that caused a voyage to be unsuccessful.

to delete E, can i say that use of delaying is improper , cause ing shows smthing thats still gng on, and we are completely talking about past??

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karthikpandian19: Legendary Member; Posts: 1665; Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 7:04 pmFollowed by: 70 members; Thanked: 165 times

by karthikpandian19 » Tue Jun 19, 2012 6:49 am

U r absolutely right in reasoning out E

jimmyjimmy wrote:Choice E employs the construction such as delaying. In the context of this sentence, such as should introduce examples of unsuccessful voyages. Delaying John White's return trip is not itself an example of an unsuccessful voyage; it is an action that caused a voyage to be unsuccessful.

to delete E, can i say that use of delaying is improper , cause ing shows smthing thats still gng on, and we are completely talking about past??

Regards,
Karthik
The source of the questions that i post from JUNE 2013 is from KNEWTON

---If you find my post useful, click "Thank"

---
---Never stop until cracking GMAT---

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sandeep_thaparianz: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 90; Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2012 1:27 amFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 5 times

by sandeep_thaparianz » Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:53 am

The semicolon(;) connects two closely related statements. Each statement must be able to stand alone as independent sentence.

C is correct[/quote]

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