Editing Encyclopedia:Manual of Style (section)

===Semicolons===
{{Shortcut|MOS:SEMICOLON|MOS:COMMASPLICE|MOS:;}}
{{for|usage in marking up description (definition) lists|Help:List#Description lists}}

A [[semicolon]] ({{xt|;}}) is sometimes an alternative to a full stop (period), enabling related material to be kept in the same sentence; it marks a more decisive division in a sentence than a comma. If the semicolon separates clauses, normally each clause must be independent (meaning that it could stand on its own as a sentence). In many cases, only a comma or only a semicolon will be correct in a given sentence.

{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
|-
| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Correct:}}
| {{xt|Though he had been here before, I did not recognize him.}}
|-
| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Incorrect:}}
| {{!xt|Though he had been here before; I did not recognize him.}}
|}

Above, "Though he had been here before" cannot stand on its own as a sentence, and therefore is not an independent clause.

{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
|-
| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Correct:}}
| {{xt|Oranges are an acidic fruit; bananas are classified as alkaline.}}
|-
| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Incorrect:}}
| {{!xt|Oranges are an acidic fruit, bananas are classified as alkaline.}}
|}

This incorrect use of a comma between two independent clauses is known as a [[comma splice]]; however, in certain kinds of cases, a comma may be used where a semicolon would seem to be called for:

{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
|-
| {{em|Accepted}}: || {{xt|"Life is short, art is long."}} (two brief clauses in an [[aphorism]]; see ''[[Ars longa, vita brevis]]'')
|-
| {{em|Accepted}}: || {{xt|"I have studied it, you have not."}} (reporting brisk conversation, such as this reply of [[Isaac Newton|Newton]]'s)
|}

A sentence may contain several semicolons, especially when the clauses are parallel in construction and meaning; multiple unrelated semicolons are often signs that the sentence should be divided into shorter sentences or otherwise refashioned.

{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
|-
| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Unwieldy}}:
| {{!xt|Oranges are an acidic fruit; bananas are classified as alkaline; pears are close to neutral; these distinctions are rarely discussed.}}
|-
| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Better}}:
| {{xt|Oranges are an acidic fruit, bananas are alkaline, and pears are close to neutral; these distinctions are rarely discussed.}}
|}

Semicolons are used in addition to commas to separate items in a listing, when commas alone would result in confusion.

{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
|-
| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Confusing}}:
| {{!xt|Sales offices are located in Boston, Massachusetts, San Francisco, California, Singapore, and Millbank, London, England.}}
|-
| style="padding-right:1em" | {{em|Clear}}:
| {{xt|Sales offices are located in Boston, Massachusetts; San Francisco, California; Singapore; and Millbank, London, England.}}
|}

====Semicolon before "however"====
{{Shortcut|MOS:HOWEVER}}

The meaning of a sentence containing a trailing clause that starts with the word ''however'' depends on the punctuation preceding that word. A common error is to use the wrong punctuation, thereby changing the meaning to one not intended.

When the word ''however'' is an adverb meaning "nevertheless", it should be preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma. Example:

{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
|-
| || {{xt|It was obvious they could not convert these people; however, they tried.}}
|-
| {{em|Meaning}}: || {{xt|It was obvious they could not convert these people; nevertheless, they tried.}}
|}

When the word ''however'' is a conjunction meaning "in whatever manner", or "regardless of how", it may be preceded by a comma but not by a semicolon, and should not be followed by punctuation. Example:

{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
|-
| || {{xt|It was obvious they could not convert these people, however they tried.}}
|-
| {{em|Meaning}}: || {{xt|It was obvious they could not convert these people, regardless of how they tried.}}
|}

In the first case, the clause that starts with "however" cannot be swapped with the first clause; in the second case this can be done without change of meaning:

{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
|-
| || {{xt|However they tried, it was obvious they could not convert these people.}}
|-
| {{em|Meaning}}: || {{xt|Regardless of how they tried, it was obvious they could not convert these people.}}
|}

If the two clauses cannot be swapped, a semicolon is required.

A sentence or clause can also contain the word ''however'' in the middle, if it is an adverb meaning "although" that could have been placed at the beginning but does not start a new clause in mid-sentence. In this use, the word may be enclosed between commas. Example:

{| role="presentation" style="margin:0.2em 0 0.5em 1.6em; background:transparent;color: var( --color-base );"
|-
| || {{xt|He did not know, however, that the venue had been changed at the last minute.}}
|-
| {{em|Meaning}}: || {{xt|However, he did not know that the venue had been changed at the last minute.}}
|}