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How to Use Semicolons

saraheahart

Let’s talk about a type of punctuation that is often used incorrectly. The semicolon ( ; ) is a mix between a comma ( , ) and a colon ( : ), but it does not take the place of either punctuation mark!

A semicolon is used to join two independent clauses (sentences). If you want to stick two sentences together but don’t feel like using an em dash ( — ), you can use the semicolon! Here’s an example:

Correct: Sadie thought about it; the plan was perfect.

See how both sides of the semicolon are complete sentences? We would use a semicolon here, not a comma. A comma would join a sentence and a dependent clause (which means not a complete sentence). For example:

Correct: Sadie thought about it, and she realized the plan was perfect.

“and she realized the plan…” is not a full sentence, so we would not use a semicolon in this case! (The “and” makes it an incomplete sentence!)

Many people use a semicolon in place of a colon, but that is also incorrect. Here’s an example of where using a semicolon is incorrect:

Incorrect: Sadie wrote down what she needed; milk, eggs, and butter.

That should be a colon, not a semicolon! Colons introduce lists, not semicolons. Remember, a list is not a complete sentence, so we would not use a semicolon there.

How about this example? (I’ll give you a hint—it’s incorrect!):

Incorrect: Sadie wanted to dream; to fly far away.

Can you see why this is incorrect? Again, “to fly far away” is not a complete sentence, and semicolons only join those beautiful, luscious sentences!

Let’s go with one more correct example, just to round it off:

Correct: Sadie knows how to use semicolons; she is an expert.

And now, so are you!

editing, grammar

Dialogue Tags vs. Action Tags

saraheahart

A dialogue tag signifies how the dialogue is being presented and who it is being presented by. The most common example of a dialogue tag is he said. This shows who is speaking the dialogue (he) and how he’s doing it (in this case, he simply said it).

On the other hand, an action tag is an action that hints at who the speaker of the line of dialogue is but isn’t describing the way the dialogue is presented. An action tag looks like this: “Hello!” He waved. Notice that it is a separate sentence from the dialogue, but it does give a clue as to who is saying it (he) and also presenting an action (waved). He did not wave the dialogue; the dialogue was spoken and then he waved.

As a freelance editor, I see this mistake happen often in fiction writing: Someone will write a line of dialogue with an action tag that is written as a dialogue tag. For example:

“Hello,” he smiled.

This example is incorrect, because he did not “smile” the dialogue; he spoke the dialogue and smiled. He performed an action—therefore, we should use an action tag, which is a separate sentence.

“Hello.” He smiled.

Now, what complicates things is this: What if you wanted to turn it into a dialogue tag? Writers may opt to do this because “He smiled” is a bit boring and clunky. The correct way to turn an action tag into a dialogue tag is this:

“Hello,” he said with a smile. —or— “Hello,” he said, smiling.

See how it changes so that we are describing how the dialogue is being presented? Again, it’s just “said,” but that is so important because that keeps it as part of the same sentence as the line of dialogue.

Think of it this way—use the comma and lowercase if it’s part of the sentence. “He said” is not a complete sentence exactly, since it’s not telling us WHAT he said. (Grammar nerds, I know it has a subject and a verb. Don’t come after me. I’m making a point.) However, “He smiled” IS a complete sentence, right? We don’t need other information to understand that sentence.

Correct examples:

“Hello,” he whispered.

John cried out, “Oh no!”

“Stop!” the man shouted.

“That’s beautiful.” He smiled at me.

“I love this.” He picked it up for a closer inspection.

Incorrect examples:

“Hello.” He whispered.

“I love this,” he picked it up for a closer inspection.

“That’s beautiful,” he smiled at me.

So there you have it! A dialogue tag is a continuation of the dialogue’s sentence, while an action tag is its own separate sentence. You can turn an action tag into a dialogue tag by adding a dialogue tag to the action.

If you have more questions, don’t hesitate to send me a message or contact me on Instagram! If this blog post helped you understand some things, please leave a comment below and share it with your writing group!

editing, grammar

In Defense of the Oxford Comma

saraheahart

[Context: I was asked on a recent job application to do the following: “In 500 words or fewer, write a structured argument to support your most unpopular opinion.” I now present to you my exactly-500-word manifesto:]

Use of the Oxford, or serial, comma should be mandatory in grammatically correct sentences. Opponents claim that it is a “waste of space,” “redundant,” and “unnecessary.” These individuals contend that the use of the Oxford comma should no longer be taught in schools or used in publications, calling it nonessential. On the contrary, the use of an Oxford comma is indeed essential in a sentence with listed items; it brings the sentence balance, clarity, and rhythm.

Grammatically correct sentence structure demands balance. Subjects and verbs must agree; a phrase such as “not only” should be followed by its counterpart “but also.” The Oxford comma brings balance to a sentence containing a list of three or more words or phrases by providing a comma between each listed item. Removing the serial comma unbalances the sentence structure, causing it to lump together two of the listed items. Consider the following sentence:

“I like apples, oranges, and bananas.”

Each serial item is separated by its own punctuation mark. If we were to remove the serial comma in this sentence, “oranges and bananas” would become its own phrase rather than two distinct entities in the list. Bereft of their separator, the final two listed items upset the balance of the sentence.

Let us consider another sentence—one that commonly demonstrates the clarity the Oxford comma brings:

“He met with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demi-god and a dildo collector.”

Without its serial comma, the sentence implies that Nelson Mandela is an 800-year-old demigod who collects dildos. Now, let us consider the sentence again, this time with the Oxford comma in its proper place:

“He met with Nelson Mandela, an 800-year-old demi-god, and a dildo collector.”

Now the sentence is clear; the man is meeting with three distinct persons, only one of whom is Nelson Mandela.

Finally, the Oxford comma provides a soothing rhythm within a serial sentence. After each listed item is a gentle beat—a brief pause, as each comma in turn indicates. Here is an example of another sentence utilizing a serial comma:

“My favorite colors are purple, black, red, and blue.”

Try reading the sentence with a poignant pause at each comma. It sounds like this:

Purple (beat) black (beat) red (beat) and blue.

The rhythm flows; the beats line up between each listed item. Consider reading the sentence without the serial comma:

Purple (beat) black (beat) red and blue.

See how the last two items jumble up at the end, throwing off the rhythm of the sentence?

In summary, the Oxford comma is a necessary punctuation mark that balances the sentence, clarifies the meaning of each word or phrase, and perfectly captures the flowing rhythm of a grammatically correct serialized sentence. Calling for the Oxford comma to be deemed essential across all style guides may be seen as an unpopular opinion; however, when looking at the different facets and benefits of the punctuation mark, the correct answer is clear. The Oxford comma should always be used in articles, books, and journals.