Question

What is the semicolon doing in this sentence?

I haven't decided what I want to do this weekend: I'd like to go to my friend's barbecue, but
there is also a cherry picking festival happening in Lancaster.
Choose 1 answer:
It's separating coordinate clauses in complex sentences.
It's uniting two closely connected clauses
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Answer 1

The semicolon unites two closely connected independent clauses that could stand alone, reflecting a close relationship between the ideas presented.

Step-by-step explanation:

The semicolon in the sentence is being used to unite two closely connected clauses. These two clauses could stand alone as separate sentences, but the semicolon indicates a closer relationship between the two ideas. An example of a situation where a semicolon is appropriate is when the second clause restates the first or when the clauses are so closely related in meaning that they are part of one larger, compound thought. Remember, a semicolon can also be used to join main clauses that are connected by a transitional word like 'however' or 'therefore'.

Answer 2

It's separating coordinate clauses in complex sentences.

Step-by-step explanation:

a punctuation mark semicolon (;) indicates a pause, typically between two main clauses, that is more pronounced than that indicated by a comma.