How to Write Great Essays

THE SEMICOLON
Semicolons (
;
) may be used in two ways: to separate independent clauses,and to separate the items
in a list when those items contain commas.

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HOW TO WRITE GREAT ESSAYS
CHAPTER 4
Mechanics
52
■
Use semicolons to separate independent clauses.
Case:
Use a semicolon to separate independent clauses joined without a
conjunction.
Example:
Four people worked on the project; only one received credit for it.
Case: 
Use a semicolon to separate independent clauses that contain com-
mas, even if the clauses are joined by a conjunction.
Example:
The strays were malnourished, dirty, and ill; but Liz had a weak-
ness for kittens, so she adopted them all.
Case: 
Use a semicolon to separate independent clauses that are connected
with a conjunctive adverb that expresses a relationship between clauses.
Example:
Victoria was absent frequently; therefore, she received a low
grade.
■
Use semicolons to separate items in a series that contain commas.
Case:
Use a semicolon to show which sets of items go together.
Examples: 
The dates for our meetings are Monday, January 10; Tuesday,
April 14; Monday, July 7; and Tuesday, October 11.
She has lived in Omaha, Nebraska; Nutley, New Jersey; Amherst, Massachu-
setts; and Pensacola, Florida.
C
A P I T A L I Z AT I O N
Capitalization is necessary both for specific words and to start sentences and quotes. How-
ever, many writers overuse it, and thus appear overly casual. There are just six occasions
that require capitalization:
1. the first word of a sentence
2. proper nouns (names of people, places, and things)
3. the first word of a complete quotation, but not a partial quotation
4. the first, last, and any other important words of a title
5. languages
6. the pronoun 
I
, and any contractions made with it