Anal grammar questions (quick and easy!)

As far as I know, semicolons are used to prefix a clause that is an alternative wording of the previous clause; they are strange! ;)
 
Heofz said:
As far as I know, semicolons are used to prefix a clause that is an alternative wording of the previous clause; they are strange! ;)
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It is also used as a stronger division in a sentence that already contains commas:

"What has crippled me? Was it my grandmother, frowning on my childish affection and turning it to formality and cold courtesy; or my timid, fearful mother, in awe of everyone including, finally, me; or was it my wife's infidelities, or my own?"
 
Why on earth are you writing about the Ropewalk?

I lived in the Student ghetto that is Lenton for 3 years, The Grove was my local
 
paddy said:
Why on earth are you writing about the Ropewalk?

I lived in the Student ghetto that is Lenton for 3 years, The Grove was my local
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The Grove is terrible :p I lived 30 seconds away from it, and still made the long journey up Derby road instead of going there. I'm not writing about the Ropewalk, someone who still works there is and she asked me to proof-read a business plan she was presenting to the manager to try and get like £1500 for some after-show party to be hosted in the ropewalk.
 
Zefan said:
Just a comma. You could probably get away with a semi-colon even though it's not correct, as not many people know where to use them.
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Hey, here's an idea - why don't you take it upon yourself to point out to everyone where they should and shouldn't use semi-colons? ;)
 
Carzy said:
Colon as above? Or semi-colon as I think it should be. Please tell me I'm right :p

THANKS GUYZ
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I'd like to know what an "undefined" bar or venue is. Surely they would have to be licenced for use as either a bar, venue or both so isn't "undefined bar or venue" an oxymoron?

:p
 
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phykell said:
I'd like to know what an "undefined" bar or venue is. Surely they would have to be licenced for use as either a bar, venue or both so isn't "undefined bar or venue" an oxymoron?

:p
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She'd have gone mad at me had I started correcting the actual prose! I was just there as a proof-reader haha.
 
phykell said:
Hey, here's an idea - why don't you take it upon yourself to point out to everyone where they should and shouldn't use semi-colons? ;)
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Yes but that would be terribly anal though wouldn't it? I couldn't imagine Zefan being terribly anal about anything...
 
dirtydog said:
Your sentence should have a semi-colon rather than a comma, I feel :)
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"The two parts of a sentence divided by a semicolon should balance each other, rather than leading from one to the other."

So you're wrong.
 
Rebelius said:
"The two parts of a sentence divided by a semicolon should balance each other, rather than leading from one to the other."

So you're wrong.
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That would imply that the comma's only use was as parenthesis, it isn't.

That would imply that the comma's only use was as parenthesis; it isn't.


I stand by my comments. The second sentence looks better to me.
 
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