The document teaches 8th-grade students about semicolons, describing their function and importance in sentence structure. It explains how semicolons can join independent clauses and separate items in lists that already contain commas. The lesson concludes with practice exercises for students to enhance their understanding of semicolons.

1. Semicolons and
Compound Sentences
Ms. Marshall
8th Grade English

2. The Semicolon
Warm up: Meet the
semicolon. The
semicolon is very
sad. Why is he so
sad?
The reason the
semicolon is
unhappy is nobody
understands him.

3. Sad semicolon
I’m so sad…

4. Is he just like a comma?
 NO!
 He’s stronger than the comma.
 A comma needs a coordinating
conjunction to join two independent
clauses and make a compound
sentence.
 The semicolon can do it alone.

5. Joining two independent
clauses
 John picks his nose
up because of it. ; his friends throw

6. Conjunctive Adverbs
 As a result, for example, however,
therefore, and instead
 If the clauses have a conjunctive
adverb, use a semicolon.

7. Joining with a conjunctive
adverb

;
John has plenty of friends however,
some of them are grossed out.
 John’s teachers requested a parent
conference
; therefore, his parents
had to go to school.

8. Groups containing commas
 You can also use a semicolon to
separate groups that already have
commas.

9. Already containing commas
 Many of our community’s residents
separate their garbage into bins for
newspapers, cardboard, and junkmail;
;
glass, metal, and plastic and
nonrecyclable trash.

10. Practice
Grammar and Composition Book
Page 269-270
Only Odds 1, 3, 5, 7, 9

11. Conclusion
 Write a sentence using a semicolon to
join two independent clauses on the
white paper.
 Write a sentence using a semicolon and
a conjunctive adverb on the blue paper.
 Write a sentence using a semicolon to
separate groups with commas on the
gold paper.

12. Happy Semicolon!
,
 Now semicolon is understood by others
and has found happiness!
Yippee!