Can I Put a Semicolon After Brackets?

The answer to this question is yes, but with some caveats. A semicolon can indeed be placed after brackets, particularly when the bracketed material appears at the end of a sentence or within a larger sentence structure. However, it's crucial to ensure that the sentence remains clear and grammatically correct for optimal readability.

Examples of Using Semicolons with Brackets

Here are a couple of examples:

At the End of a Sentence

- I have several hobbies, such as reading, hiking, and painting; they keep me busy.

In this case, the colon introduces a list of hobbies, and the semicolon is used to connect the list to the final clause.

Within a Larger Sentence

- The committee decided to postpone the meeting due to scheduling conflicts, but they will reconvene next week.

In both examples, the semicolon helps to connect related independent clauses while maintaining clarity.

Rules for Using Semicolons

The rule is that a semicolon is like a period without a capital letter following. To check if a semicolon can be used, try putting a period after your brackets. If it works, you can use your semicolon. This is the only rule you need to know for using a semicolon. There's another rule involving complicated lists, but you probably don't need to bother with it.

Differences Between American and British English

Some important note on punctuation in American English. Semicolons, colons, and dashes go after quotation marks, while commas and periods go inside quotation marks. However, there are a few hard cases where the quotation ends the sentence and ends with a mark other than a period, such as an exclamation point. In these cases, the question mark or exclamation point should be inside the quotation mark, and no period is needed.

It's also advisable to avoid making that quotation end the sentence to simplify the structure and improve readability.

Special Situations with Semicolons and Parentheses

Although it's not a common situation, a semicolon can join two related sentences. If the first sentence ends with parentheses, the semicolon would follow. However, writing information in parentheses should be limited.

For in-text citations enclosed in parentheses, avoid using a semicolon; instead, begin a new sentence. If the item in the list has information in parentheses, the semicolon would follow, and this applies to lists preceded by a colon. Here’s an example:

- For the exam, bring:

a pencil and eraser a pen for the final draft of your essay a dictionary

By following these guidelines, you can effectively use semicolons and brackets to enhance the clarity and structure of your sentences without causing confusion.