Linda, 

 

I've used the same visual trick in my classes, with good results, but I word it a little differently.  I tell students that they can think of the semicolon as a comma raised by a period or as a period lowered by a comma.  Gets the same point across, and it seems to work.

 

Herb



	

	

	 



	Hi, All! 



	These "silly" tips are wonderful to me!  Thanks to all of 

	you who shared yours with me and this list.  Again, if you 

	have any great ideas for teaching grammar and/or punctuation 

	rules beyond usage issues, I'd appreciate seeing those as 

	well. 



	One punctuation pointer I use to help my adult learners 

	master the semicolon in a compound sentence is to view it as 

	a two-part punctuation mark: 



	1.  The comma below indicates the pause writers want readers 

	to be aware of for properly placed commas 



	2.  The "dot" above can be viewed as a period that could be 

	used instead if the compound sentence formed were separated 

	into two simple sentences instead. 



	That works for them. 



	Do you all have any other ideas like that to share--silly or 

	otherwise? 



	Thanks! 



	Linda Comerford 



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