3. Use commas to separate items in a list, unless the list is so complicated that semicolons are needed for clarity. Finally, a colon can function very much like our next punctuation, the semicolon, and can be placed between two independent sentences, where the second explains or executes the first. 3. Semicolons separate items from a numbered list. This is not so much a rule as a legal convention. If you are writing a simple list or text series, separate the items with commas – as I had to admit to Mr. Useless. For example, if you have a series of three or more items that would normally be separated by commas, except that each individual element already contains a comma, use the semicolon between the elements. Examples: In pleadings, lawyers often create complete sentence lists. If this list begins with two dots, the listed items must also be grammatically part of the same sentence. Each of the clauses must be separated by semicolons under the two (or more) independent clauses and the comma rules.
Typically, semicolons are used to join two or more related but independent clauses in the same sentence. Example: A semicolon separates related stand-alone clauses that are connected without coordinating conjunctions, for example: Josh Taylor is a Connecticut-based litigator and head of legal content strategy at Tracers, a survey data research software company for law firms. Previously, Josh was a staff member at the Writing Resource Center at John Marshall Law School and responsible for legal content and strategic partnerships at a national legal software company. He has lectured across the country on practice management and legal writing. Josh serves on the boards of Beyond Legal Aid and the Chicago Fringe Opera Company. He also writes the Legal Writing Reminders series for Attorney at Work. So, Mr. The semicolon is useless and offers the professional writer another option – another tool to connect ideas. Read our guide to using semicolons. But a dot between the stand-alone clauses says, “Period.
New idea. A semicolon between the stand-alone clauses says, “Pause; Related idea. These sample sentences are automatically selected from various online information sources to reflect the current use of the semicolon word. The views expressed in the examples do not represent the views of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us your feedback. Got it? It`s best with semicolons that act as super commas: a semicolon is also often used before introductory expressions, such as, for example, and namely, instead of a colon, comma, hyphen or parentheses: semicolon (;) Separate independent clauses that have a related meaning, and they separate items in a list if those items themselves are long or contain commas. For example, this summary could read: “Semicolons are useful; They show that the clauses are bound in their meaning. However, there is one exception that may cause you a problem. You do not use a semicolon to join two complete sentences if there is a conjunction between the clauses (and, but, etc.). In this case, use a comma. I don`t know why. That is the rule. A semicolon is used instead of a comma to separate expressions or items in a list or series when the expressions or items themselves contain commas or are particularly long: As mentioned above, a semicolon indicates a relationship between two adjacent independent sentences (i.e.
those that can be isolated as separate sentences). Semicolons usually replace coordination conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, again, so). Thus, in this context, a semicolon can be correctly replaced by a period, but nuances can be lost without a period. Using semicolons when sorting lists written as a paragraph provides the reader with a more structured experience, as semicolons reduce the risk of confusion that can be common with commas. For example, if commas are used in the sentence beginning with the paragraph above, a reader might unknowingly read it and think that a semicolon is used to separate elements from case citations. The semicolon is the most eccentric brother of the colon. While the colon simply consists of two stacked dots: the semicolon is a period hovering over a comma; And while semicolons can really classify your handwriting (as shown by the drama effects semicolon in the example above), they can also help you write more clearly. In legal drafting, clarity is crucial, and failure to properly separate sentences can lead to confusing meanings, vagueness, and confusion. For lawyers, lists are the most important use of semicolons. In legal writing, colons are usually used to introduce list items. After all, law is a series of basic lists. Where lawyers often go astray with colons, however, this does not make the opening sentence a completely independent sentence.
In other words, what precedes a colon should be read as a complete sentence if it were alone. I`ve always been confused about whether sentences after the colon should be capitalized and, if so, whether each sentence should end with a period or semicolon. For one, a colon doesn`t end with a sentence, so one might think that every sentence shouldn`t be capitalized and shouldn`t end with a period. On the other hand, long sentences or multiple sentences without capitalization seem funny, and it would be wrong to capitalize after a semicolon. I investigated the problem on Wikipedia and learned: “Some Modern American-style guidelines, including those published by the Associated Press and the Modern Language Association, prescribe a capital letter, where the colon is followed by an independent sentence (i.e. a complete sentence). However, the Chicago Manual of Style only requires a capital letter if the colon introduces two or more complete sentences. Treaty drafters should be aware of this semicolon.
The modifiers and qualifications that appear in contract language sometimes lead to sentences like this: But in legal drafting, once you number the elements, semicolons become conventional, although commas are also correct: semicolons are perhaps best used in legal drafting to join independent clauses in a list, Like what. elements of the legislation or analytical framework; Case citations; or if a list contains one or more items containing an “and” or an “or”. This applies both if the list is in outline (or numbered) form on the page and if it is written as a paragraph. However, if you use line breaks to separate your list, the semicolon effect is not as pronounced. Similarly, a semicolon can separate two independent clauses, with the second clause beginning with a transitional expression (e.g., logical, anyway, so). Attorney at Work`s series on legal writing skills continues with punctuation at its core. Here`s the skinny, when to use a colon or semicolon. Lawyers like long and complex sentences.
Lawyers love lists. Lawyers like semicolons and colons. If we want to preserve our love for semicolons, we need to use them correctly. The typical use of semicolons by lawyers is in long, complex sentences or lists. In any case, however, two main rules must be followed: a semicolon may also replace a comma between two clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction, as and in cases where the sentence might otherwise be confusing – for example, due to particularly long clauses or the presence of other commas: Once we, As lawyers, let`s master our colon and semicolon, We can be so lucky to move into a house like Mark`s. Nglish: Semicolon translation for Spanish speakers Note that, unlike commas and periods, a semicolon that punctuates the larger sentence is placed outside the quotation marks and parentheses: a semicolon can also attach two statements if the second clause lacks certain essential words provided by the first clause. In short sentences, a comma often replaces the semicolon: Example: Jane is a dependent child of the deceased; It is the applicant in these proceedings. If you put a comma where this semicolon appears, you have committed a “comma splice” that some consider a serious grammatical error. A lawyer once asked me this question (emphasis in original) and added three points in support. First, he said, a period can fulfill some of the functions of the semicolon, and second, a comma can fulfill the rest.
Third, people abuse and confuse semicolons so much that we would be better off without them. Well, I had to admit some of his points. But I was determined not to let “Mr. Useless,” as I would call him, overwhelm me. No. I believe that lawyers, as professional writers, have legitimate uses of the semicolon. Here are four of them. In my opinion, when capitalizing, you should use periods at the end of each sentence instead of linking semicolons and a conjunction as in the example above. Not surprisingly, even avocados stumble over how and when to use them.
Luckily, if you`re one of those lawyers, you can read here when you should use semicolons. 2. Semicolons separate expressions in a series if one or more expressions contain internal commas. This is a useful feature that more lawyers should adopt. If you have three or more sentences in a series, you usually separate them with commas that tell readers where each sentence ends. But if one of the sentences contains commas, readers may get lost. In these cases, use the semicolon as a “super comma.” A simple example: independent sentences are a set of words that can be autonomous as complete sentences (i.e. they have both a subject and a verb). If you have two complete sentences that you want to join into one long sentence, use a semicolon in between. Today, we`re going to focus on two areas of punctuation that often trip lawyers up when writing short notes or memos: colons and semicolons.
