Semicolon Usage

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mmslf75: Legendary Member; Posts: 503; Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:53 pmFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 31 times

by mmslf75 » Sat Dec 05, 2009 12:24 am

The constellation that includes the North Star has been known by many names among different cultures, called "The Bear" in ancient Greece, "The Drinking Gourd" in parts of Africa, and "Star Girl and Her Seven Sky Brothers" among the Cheyenne people of North America.

among different cultures, called
among different cultures; it was called
in different cultures, being called
in different cultures; including the title
in different cultures; it was called

OA : E
IMO : E

No issues as to why anwer is E .. I have a different query here..

Query :

Is there a set pattern to use semicolon only when u have a subject or a referrent 'IT' waiting ahead ?
I have come across many options that say ;therefore / ;since... could any1 explain on this please ???E

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Sat Dec 05, 2009 12:24 am

nakul_anand: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 74; Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2009 4:20 pm; Thanked: 4 times

by nakul_anand » Sun Dec 06, 2009 6:45 am

Hi...

Why is B or 'Among' incorrect?

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viju9162: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 434; Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:48 pm; Location: Bangalore; Thanked: 6 times; GMAT Score:600

by viju9162 » Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:09 am

Hi mmslf75,

I dont think there is any pattern to use semi-colon when "IT" it waiting ahead. If there are any two logical independent sentences, they can be separated using semi-colon.

You would have seen therefore, since, however after semi-colon because those are independent markers.. There is a pattern for independent sentences.. one of them is:

independent sentence (semicolon) independent marker (comma) independent sentence

"Native of" is used for a individual while "Native to" is used for a large group

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sunil_snath: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 39; Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:41 am; Thanked: 3 times

by sunil_snath » Sun Dec 06, 2009 7:48 am

nakul_anand wrote:Hi...

Why is B or 'Among' incorrect?

Hi Nakul, I think "among" is wrong because the different names are not known among cultures (Like between culture A and B). Among is used to compare more than 2 things.

thanks,
Sunil

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aspirant1: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 38; Joined: Mon Nov 23, 2009 9:52 am; Thanked: 3 times

by aspirant1 » Mon Dec 07, 2009 4:16 am

I guess more than two are compared here.....i am wondering "among" looks to me is fine, that makes (b) attractive

any expert comment?

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Stacey Koprince: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 2228; Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:28 pmFollowed by: 694 members; Location: Montreal, Canada; Thanked: 639 times; GMAT Score:780

by Stacey Koprince » Tue Dec 15, 2009 8:44 pm

Received a PM asking about semi-colon usage.

You must have a complete sentence on both "halves" of a semi-colon sentence; otherwise, you haven't used the semi-colon correctly.

so, basically, the rule is:

independent clause; independent clause.
(that is: complete sentence; complete sentence.)

If you are writing the sentence yourself, the two halves are also supposed to be closely connected. (This isn't an issue on SC, though - they'll never give you the option to split the two halves into two separate sentences because they aren't closely connected enough or something like that.)

Please note: I do not use the Private Messaging system! I will not see any PMs that you send to me!!

Stacey Koprince
GMAT Instructor
Director of Online Community
Manhattan GMAT

Contributor to Beat The GMAT!

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viju9162: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 434; Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:48 pm; Location: Bangalore; Thanked: 6 times; GMAT Score:600

by viju9162 » Tue Dec 15, 2009 9:13 pm

Hi Stacey,

Assume there are two independent sentences separated by semi colon. The second sentence starts with the word "it". Can it refer to noun in the previous sentence or should it refer to noun in second part of sentence ?

Regards,
Viju

"Native of" is used for a individual while "Native to" is used for a large group

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mmslf75: Legendary Member; Posts: 503; Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:53 pmFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 31 times

by mmslf75 » Tue Dec 15, 2009 9:38 pm

Stacey Koprince wrote:Received a PM asking about semi-colon usage.

You must have a complete sentence on both "halves" of a semi-colon sentence; otherwise, you haven't used the semi-colon correctly.

so, basically, the rule is:

independent clause; independent clause.
(that is: complete sentence; complete sentence.)

If you are writing the sentence yourself, the two halves are also supposed to be closely connected. (This isn't an issue on SC, though - they'll never give you the option to split the two halves into two separate sentences because they aren't closely connected enough or something like that.)

Thanks Stacey.

I have come across sentences of the type
......... ; therfore ............
..........;since..................
..........;because.............

Dont recollect the exact wording though..

Can you mention any such valid GMAT sentence,,??

Are these actually valid ????
......... ; therfore ............
..........;since..................
..........;because.............

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Testluv: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 1302; Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:13 pmFollowed by: 164 members; Location: Toronto; Thanked: 539 times; GMAT Score:800

by Testluv » Tue Dec 15, 2009 9:58 pm

viju9162 wrote:Hi Stacey,

Assume there are two independent sentences separated by semi colon. The second sentence starts with the word "it". Can it refer to noun in the previous sentence or should it refer to noun in second part of sentence ?

Regards,
Viju

If "it" comes right after the semi-colon then "it" is referring to the noun in the first clause or else "it" is referring to the state of things (in the world).

For example, in this sentence, the OA is using "it" to refer to the constellation. If you were to "slice" the sentence at the semi-colon, then you would have two complete sentences. But note that the second sentence would not be able to stand by itself because, then, we wouldn't know what the "it" was referring to. So, the second sentence is complete so long as the first sentence precedes it. In that sentence ther are two complete sentences even though the second depends on the first. But the second sentence depends on the first for meaning and not for grammatical reasons.

Last edited by Testluv on Wed Dec 16, 2009 12:17 am, edited 3 times in total.

Kaplan Teacher in Toronto

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Testluv: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 1302; Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 2:13 pmFollowed by: 164 members; Location: Toronto; Thanked: 539 times; GMAT Score:800

by Testluv » Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:00 pm

mmslf75 wrote:
Stacey Koprince wrote:Received a PM asking about semi-colon usage.

You must have a complete sentence on both "halves" of a semi-colon sentence; otherwise, you haven't used the semi-colon correctly.

so, basically, the rule is:

independent clause; independent clause.
(that is: complete sentence; complete sentence.)

If you are writing the sentence yourself, the two halves are also supposed to be closely connected. (This isn't an issue on SC, though - they'll never give you the option to split the two halves into two separate sentences because they aren't closely connected enough or something like that.)
Thanks Stacey.

I have come across sentences of the type
......... ; therfore ............
..........;since..................
..........;because.............

Dont recollect the exact wording though..

Can you mention any such valid GMAT sentence,,??

Are these actually valid ????
......... ; therfore ............
..........;since..................
..........;because.............

Those sentences are fine because if we were to slice them at the semi-colon, we would have two complete sentences.

Kaplan Teacher in Toronto

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GMAT/MBA Expert

Stacey Koprince: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 2228; Joined: Wed Dec 27, 2006 3:28 pmFollowed by: 694 members; Location: Montreal, Canada; Thanked: 639 times; GMAT Score:780

by Stacey Koprince » Sat Dec 26, 2009 9:42 am

Received a PM asking me to respond. Testluv has got it right!

A pronoun after the semicolon can, indeed, refer to a noun before the semicolon.

And the examples given with "therefore" etc at the beginning can be okay as long as they are complete sentences. For example:

She studies a lot. Therefore, she will get a good score on the test.
She studies a lot; therefore, she will get a good score on the test.

(Wouldn't it be nice if studying a lot could guarantee a good score?

)

What about this one?
She studies a lot; because she has a strong work ethic.
does that split into two separate sentences?
She studies a lot. Because she has a strong work ethic.

No. So that one wouldn't work. But this one would:

She studies a lot; because she has a strong work ethic, studying is very easy for her.
She studies a lot. Because she has a strong work ethic, studying is very easy for her.

So, basically, just check and see whether you can split into two complete sentences. If you can, the semi-colon is fine. If you can't, then it's not fine.

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mmslf75: Legendary Member; Posts: 503; Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 9:53 pmFollowed by: 2 members; Thanked: 31 times

by mmslf75 » Sat Dec 26, 2009 9:56 am

Stacey Koprince wrote:Received a PM asking me to respond. Testluv has got it right!

A pronoun after the semicolon can, indeed, refer to a noun before the semicolon.

And the examples given with "therefore" etc at the beginning can be okay as long as they are complete sentences. For example:

She studies a lot. Therefore, she will get a good score on the test.
She studies a lot; therefore, she will get a good score on the test.

(Wouldn't it be nice if studying a lot could guarantee a good score? )

What about this one?
She studies a lot; because she has a strong work ethic.
does that split into two separate sentences?
She studies a lot. Because she has a strong work ethic.

No. So that one wouldn't work. But this one would:

She studies a lot; because she has a strong work ethic, studying is very easy for her.
She studies a lot. Because she has a strong work ethic, studying is very easy for her.

So, basically, just check and see whether you can split into two complete sentences. If you can, the semi-colon is fine. If you can't, then it's not fine.

Thanks Stacey
Thanks TestLUV

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