In which one of the following sentences is the semicolon used correctly?

A. Cheryl’s favorite snack is chocolate; she could eat it daily.
B. Jacob, who plays in the orchestra; has a solo in the concert.
C. Whenever I feel afraid; I think of Aunt Margaret.
D. Donald has three sisters; Carla, Donna, and Maggie

I think the answer is A, but im not sure , this stuff confuses me.

5 answers

Yes, A is right. :-)

Thanks you !

You are welcome.

the correct answer is A

You're on the right track! The correct use of a semicolon is to join two independent clauses (complete sentences) that are closely related in meaning. Let's analyze each sentence to determine which one uses the semicolon correctly:

A. Cheryl’s favorite snack is chocolate; she could eat it daily.
This sentence uses the semicolon correctly. "Cheryl’s favorite snack is chocolate" and "she could eat it daily" are both independent clauses that can stand alone as complete sentences, but they are closely related in meaning.

B. Jacob, who plays in the orchestra; has a solo in the concert.
This sentence is incorrect. The semicolon is used to separate a relative clause ("who plays in the orchestra") from the main clause ("Jacob has a solo in the concert"). Instead of a semicolon, a comma should be used here: "Jacob, who plays in the orchestra, has a solo in the concert."

C. Whenever I feel afraid; I think of Aunt Margaret.
This sentence is incorrect. The semicolon is used to separate a dependent clause ("Whenever I feel afraid") from the main clause ("I think of Aunt Margaret"). A semicolon should not be used here. Instead, a comma or a period would be appropriate: "Whenever I feel afraid, I think of Aunt Margaret" or "Whenever I feel afraid. I think of Aunt Margaret."

D. Donald has three sisters; Carla, Donna, and Maggie.
This sentence is also incorrect. The semicolon is used to separate a noun list ("Carla, Donna, and Maggie") from the main clause ("Donald has three sisters"). A semicolon should not be used here. Instead, a colon would be more appropriate: "Donald has three sisters: Carla, Donna, and Maggie."

So, the correct answer is A: "Cheryl’s favorite snack is chocolate; she could eat it daily."