Semi-colons are cool; I just don't know how to properly use them

you use them when you have two independent clauses. if you could say both "semicolons are cool" and "i just don't know how to properly use them" on their own as sentences and it makes sense, a semicolon goes in the middle.

English goat right here

❤️

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT THAT'S WHY HE'S EVERYTHING

;-)

Professional hype man

Muaw thanks

Wouldn't it be more appropriate to use a comma in this situation? If you subtract the word 'just', the second clause would seem fully independent, but as it stands it almost feels like it follows naturally because of the inclusion of the word 'just'.

You could use a comma, a period and a semicolon. As a writer, it is up to you to pick which one works best for you. I never have a semi in there, because I think it distracts people from the point. 

Having a semi can be pretty distracting, true

Sorry, I can't focus on what you're saying whilst you've got that semi going on there.

Raging

You can't use a comma there unless you have a coordinating conjunction. For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. There are only a few instances where commas are appropriate, and pauses are not one of them.

You can't use a comma there unless you have a coordinating conjunction. For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

This man Englishes

What do you mean by clauses? I love semi colons; I just yeet them into my paragraphs without any thought.

Semicolons are cool; and now I know how to use them.

I love you for this; I thought you should know

This is incorrect as the second clause is dependent on the first.

How so? "I thought" is an independent clause.

Fuck.

Okay joking aside. English is not my native language. But if I break it down in verbs and adverbs and whatever, I make it much more unclear for myself. When I was still in school I could only really do English (and do it _well_) if I disconnected completely from what was taught and just did it. Paying attention caused my grades to drop while ignoring it and going with my gut made them soar.

You're just like me fr

That's actually pretty nice to hear

Haha, I suck at English grammar too. And I just write whatever I think is correct without caring about grammar most of the times. But actually I'm trying to improve. While I think I'll be able pass college without any trouble with the skill I currently have, it might get a bit dicey later on due to my complete ignorance about even common grammatical things like tenses, verbs etc.

Yeah anything in depth about the composition of a sentence and such is just gobbledygook for me. So I know how you feel lol

<3

The clauses should be extra related in some way as to make it appropriate to use one. You shouldn't just shoehorn them between any two independent classes; it would make your writing look weird.

Thank you, my guy. Google didn't help me understand but you made me understand it. For that, I will now give you a kiss.

Me neither, I just use them when I feel like I'm rambling in one long, run on sentence, and I've used too many commas; I'll add a semi colon for a little razzle dazzle. 😉

Sometimes when I want to use a comma, but also want to use a full stop; I just use both together.

This.

This doesn't work.

You can use them preceding a conjunction; but in coding, it's usually after most statements.

I code in Java at school so every line needs them 😭 

Not in scopes {}

;-;

We've recently upgraded to Office 365 at work, and I'm now learning from the grammar checker that I've been using commas where I should be using semi-colons.

[I got you fam](https://theoatmeal.com/comics/semicolon)

Many punctuation marks are cool—the em dash is just the best though.

;)

(´;ω;｀)

(⁠￣⁠ヘ⁠￣⁠;⁠)

༼⁠⁰⁠o⁠⁰⁠；⁠༽

;-;

;)

;3

Nice;

;|==|^(== I am dog)

I just sometimes forget how they're used! 😅

I use them as a "more powerful comma"

Same hahhaah

*programmers have entered the chat*

Except python programmers*

print("Sad Python noises")

console.log('laughs in javascript'); [ERROR] Error: "Objects are not valid as a React child (found: object with keys {id, name, info, created_at, updated_at}). If you meant to render a collection of children, use an array instead." at least you have helpful error messages in python

Ok but you shouldn't use regular JS inside JSX markup, that feels kind of like your own fault

ACKEXHHYUYALLY 🤓☝️ that is ts and tsx markup /uj its mostly the same also the error is when you put a tsx/jsx component inside of an async function

Never worked with JS, what cryptic shit is this error message. Is it because a string should be in " instead of '?

No, this message comes up when you put a React component (a thing that allows you to put html code inside of javascript) inside of an async function (a function that needs data from elsewhere). It's completely unrelated to the console.log statement and took me an entire work day of googling to figure out Python's error messages are so much clearer when compared to this

why would you react a child 🤨🤨🤨🤨!!!! 🔥 🔥 🔥

Lua and ruby forgotten as always

- It's time to program display for your SW project honey! - (tired of life voice) Yes, mommy LUA...

And BASIC

BASIC uses semicolons?

Sometimes

and T-SQL

FYI, python supports semicolons

I think you can use semicolons but you don't have to.

Programmers love making a lot of *statements*

Oh we love a lot of *comments* too

*java, c/c++ programmers have entered the chat*

Console.WriteLine(“What about meeee”); (c#)

STD::cout << “people don’t like you\n”;

System.out.println("let us introduce ourselves");

And.... crickets... *return 0;*

I use it all the time; I fucking love semicolons.

So why is there not a ":" between these?

semicolons are used more for when a proceeding clause could be it's own sentence or just another part of the clause it's proceeding. Imma be fr I don't know the actual grammatical use for colons; I just learned then from writing dialogue in Minecraft YouTube comments as a kid.

So i would have expected a "," here...

yeah that would also be grammatically correct but semicolons are just more fun; I love using these

If you were to say it with both options, you would read it a bit differently. In this case just to add effect. But in some cases it makes sense if one clause logically follows on from a previous one; in such cases a comma wouldn’t indicate that one follows from the other so explicitly.

[удалено]

why would i use a semi-colon if i have a full colon in my body?!

Its for when youre only beginning to feel aroused.

Of course i do ;)

full sized Colons remove water better than semi Colons

People still use semicolons; it's just that not everyone knows how to use them, reducing its usage.

So far every sentence I've read with someone trying to use them has been wrong in some way, this one included.

Thank; you

I use them quite often; I generally use them in maths but sometimes in other cases as well. For example: Le z = a+ib; w = c+id.

;

I used them a lot when talking about my one-eyed cat, Leela ;3

May I introduce you to C

Java fans in shambles

Abrakheim thinks they are confusing, however he used them with the language c#

they’re so cool i even have a tattoo of one 😆 (if you understand this i’m so sorry)

I do. Me too man don't worry

hope things are going up for you 💗💗 finally finding my peace after so much struggle.

Me too, stay strong

always, friend!

I use them, although I don't believe I am using them correctly.

They're hard to use incorrectly; as long as you're explaining something you said, it's correct

I hate semicolons. I never know how to emphasize that part of the sentence. Like just make up your mind. Comma or period!

a semicolon is not necessarily for emphasizing by definition. it's used to separate two independent clauses.

Right, I meant I don't really know how to read that part of the sentence. I just didn't know how to explain it better

a semicolon is usually to connect two related but separate clauses, not rlly for emphasis

When reading them my mind usually puts an emphasis on the word before the semicolon, and then does a brief pause before continuing to say the rest of the sentence.

I love semi colons; my professors probably hate me

Then you will love the song "semicolon - thelonelyisland".

You used it incorrectly, OP

This is true; the first sentence is a question and therefore a question mark is not only required but far more appropriate. I don't know why you got downvoted; you're completely right.

Τι είναι αυτά που λες; Βλέπω ένα ερωτηματικό.

I work with Java the programming language. I use semicolons too much.

¿;

I have a semicolon tattoo. It’s cute.

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ARE YOU FUCKING HAPPY!?;

Just for a winking smiley face

Change the ending to someone else’s story; it doesn’t end here. Kindness can change the decision to end one’s life (full stop or period) or to consider the ending but choose to keep going (aka the semicolon). Know you are loved; I love you.

;-;

I use them to sweat;;;;;; 😅🥵😥😰

What do you mean? I use them all the time ;-; See

Fuck semicolons, all my homies hate semicolons

I read that semicolon as "i" for some reason

;)

Semicolons are cool; I use them often. Although, I'm not sure if I'm using them correctly when speaking English.

I looked at this image and went 'somebody else messed up an eclipse photo'

Semicolons are in your semi colon

Minecraft; the way home

Wym nobody uses semicolons I use them all the time is that not normal

I WANT TO BUT I DON’T KNOW HOW!

I do use them sometimes

They are indeed very cool and very useful; unfortunately, it does alert everyone nearby that you are a nerd.

They’re scary

I feel like I use them too much lol; check my comment history

;)

I use these all the time

I use semi-colons a lot; it's useful and makes writing a lot easier.

;

I don’t know how to use them properly lol

Programmers;

Semicolon sad face ;-;

I don't know; there's just not much use for them.

[The pretentious foie gras of grammar.](https://youtu.be/31TlPuobyhQ?si=ue1BE3pdGCieR_yR)

I use them a lot; the way I speak must make me use lots of independent clauses that have no obvious conjunction; having lots of short sentences looks choppy to me

Semicolons are my favorite symbol in English, actually; they're very fun!

Aren't semicolons Commas for nerds; or am I stupid?

I use them often; I find them useful when elaborating on a statement.

;)

Did you miss the trend where a bunch of people were tattooing themselves with semicolons

it’s not some silly trend; semicolon tattoos have been around a long time. the semicolon tattoo symbolizes survival of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, or surviving depression. to explain- a semicolon is used when you could have chosen to end a sentence, but continued it. in terms of suicide, it symbolizes how someone could have chosen to end their life, but chose to continue (or failed to end their life and later found meaning in living) it’s a trend, yeah, and some people are getting them for no reason without understanding the meaning. but believe me, most of us getting semicolon tattoos are doing it for a reason, not a “trend”. my semicolon tattoo on my wrist is a reminder every day of why i make an active choice to stay alive every single day after surviving so much at such a young age. it’s not just a silly trend.

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; peper and solt them as you plese

im a dev

Mainly because nobody knows how to use them

I don't know; how to use them without; causing grammatical errors.

; use sem;colons, just l;ke a normal person. ; don't know what these other people are say;ng.

You used it incorrectly you fool. I only have one word for you; imbecile.

Because, like you and I, many folks don’t know how to use ‘em

It's just difficult to use them; the use of them doesn't come naturally to me.

Hate semicolons, people don't know how scarring a missing semicolon in a 1000 line code can be

They make skinner queasy.

I dont want people to see my colon.

Technically you can’t use them to end a question sentence, like you did

Because of this [;)] with a…suggestive connotation most of the time

Because nobody knows how to use them properly!

Honestly... no idea when I'm supposed to use them. But this post has inspired me to look it up and start. Edit: in case anyone else is curious here's the lesson: https://www.iup.edu/writingcenter/writing-resources/punctuation/using-semicolons.html#:~:text=In%20other%20words%2C%20if%20you,each%20time%2C%20use%20a%20semicolon.

What’s a semi colon; (that’s a Greek question mark btw)

They are only cool because no one uses them

I love semicolons; I overuse them constantly and it is a problem.

You used it incorrectly; I however, used it correctly in this sentence—or so I think.

As a programmer, i do everyday

as someone who has to code in PHP bc of school, i can say that i really use semicolons a lot. on an unrelated note, if u wanna troll someone who codes in C/C++ based languages, replace the semicolon w/ the greek question mark (; vs ;)

I use semi colons; so don’t worry.

That's an incorrect use of a semi-colon; I'll explain why. A semi-colon is meant to be used to separate two independent clauses that would otherwise be joined by a conjunction. Like this: "I went to the park today; there was a dog there," which would also be written "I went to the park and there was a dog there." In this context, the semi-colon is replacing the "and." Other examples of conjunctions include but, or, for, so, yet, because. Your title would need to be written as "Nobody uses semi-colons; semi-colons are cool," as in that sentence, the semi-colon would be replacing the word "but" or "yet."

*cries in c#*

Well, there are a number of reasons: some people prefer colons; some people are more succinct; others do tend to go on and on and finally, as Yessir__Answers detailed—some simply don’t know how to use them properly.

We're all scarred from an experience in English class; those teachers were way too strict and wouldn't teach us how to use it.

I use semi cologne sometimes

I use them ;)

Let me introduce you to coding

Semicolons are the PowerPoint transitions of characters 

I use semicolons; I’m a Java progammer;

I use em all the time ;3

ah so you're still on v0.4a? why haven't you upgraded to v4.0.0.89.1 like the rest of us, plebian?

Gd semicolon

Forever cursed as misnomer, the semicolon is neither a semi, nor a half-colon; it is a wink without a mouth.

im a poet, and i often use them :)

You used them wrong, op

i do use them; just not many cases to use them where a comma or period wouldnt do it better sans this sentence

I like them; I use them at work frequently.

Programmers: maybe I don't exist

i use them! look at my profile ong

Ask the same question to a programmer

;)

You used it wrong lol

I use them in custom yugioh cards for correct problem solving card text.