Semicolons:

• Joining independent clauses: Use a semicolon to separate two independent clauses (complete sentences) that are not joined by a coordinating conjunction (like “and,” “but,” “or,” etc.). This creates a stronger pause than a comma but less emphatic than a full stop.

Example: She enjoyed the concert; the music was truly captivating.

• Lists with internal commas: Use semicolons to separate items in a list when those items already contain commas.

Example: I brought apples, oranges, and pears; lettuce, spinach, and kale; and bread, cheese, and hummus.

Quotations:

• Direct quotes: Enclose direct quotes from another source within quotation marks.

Example: “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog,” said the famous rhyme.

• Titles of short works: Use quotation marks for titles of short works like poems, articles, short stories, and episodes of TV shows.

Example: I recently read “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe.

• Words used ironically or humorously: You can use quotation marks around words to indicate you’re using them ironically or humorously.

Example: The “friendly” salesman kept pushing the extended warranty.

Common Grammar Errors:

• Comma splice: Joining two independent clauses with only a comma (not a semicolon or coordinating conjunction).
• Misplaced modifiers: Phrases or clauses positioned awkwardly, leading to ambiguity.
• Subject-verb agreement: Verbs not matching the number or person of their subjects.
• Dangling participles: Modifying phrases attached to the wrong word or lacking a clear subject.

APA Citation Error:

• Missing information: Incorrectly formatted references lacking essential elements like author, date, title, source information.
• Inconsistent style: Citations not following consistent APA format for different types of sources.