Learn why semicolons are essential in certain compound sentences, with a detailed explanation of their usage in the context of connecting independent clauses.
The sentence “It’s very hot today __ you’d better put on some sunscreen.” contains two independent clauses. An independent clause is a group of words that can stand alone as a complete sentence; it has a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought.
In this case:
Since both parts of the sentence are independent clauses, they can be joined by a semicolon instead of a comma or being separated into two distinct sentences.
Here is how the sentence should look:
“It’s very hot today; you’d better put on some sunscreen.”
The semicolon acts as a strong pause that indicates a close relationship between the two thoughts, while still maintaining their independence. It implies that the hot weather is a reason for putting on sunscreen, thus showing how the two events are connected.
Using a semicolon in this way enhances clarity and demonstrates a more sophisticated connection between the statements compared to using a comma, which would incorrectly suggest that the two clauses are linked without a proper connector.