Is this a correct use of a semi-colen?:
"However Petra was taken over in 100 CE by the Romans, and was still occupied during the Byzantine period; but it soon became not as much of an importance after that, besides being used as a fort for the Crusaders in the 12th century. "
Not really.
If you want to use a semicolon in that place, then delete the word "but." You also need to add a comma after the word "However."
... you also need to delete the comma after "Romans."
If you need websites to help you with these marks of punctuation, let me know.
It's all right, the way I changed the paragraph nullified the use of a semi-colon anyways :)
Thanks!
You're welcome. Yours was a good question! Semicolon use is not always crystal clear!!
Yes, the use of a semicolon in the given sentence is correct. A semicolon (;) is used to separate two independent clauses that are closely related or related in meaning. In the given sentence, the two independent clauses "Petra was taken over in 100 CE by the Romans, and was still occupied during the Byzantine period" and "it soon became not as much of an importance after that, besides being used as a fort for the Crusaders in the 12th century" are connected by a semicolon.
To determine the correct use of a semicolon, you can follow these steps:
1. Identify independent clauses: Look for complete sentences or clauses that can stand alone as a sentence.
2. Check for a relationship: Determine if the two independent clauses are closely related or connected in meaning. If they are, a semicolon can be used.
3. Use correct punctuation: Place a semicolon (;) between the two independent clauses.
4. Check for sentence fragments: Make sure that each side of the semicolon is a complete sentence on its own.
By following these steps, you can easily determine the correct use of a semicolon in a sentence.