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Word's grammar check tells me the second sentence below requires a semicolon rather than a comma “If you don’t accept your physical limitations, you will burn out.” Elena was analytical again, ...
#3: Attribution notice added
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/42215 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision
Word's grammar check tells me the second sentence below requires a semicolon rather than a comma > “If you don’t accept your physical limitations, you will burn out.” Elena was analytical again, the empathy absent from her tone. [This accepted answer](https://writing.stackexchange.com/a/31968/8680) tells me the semi-colon is probably OK (contrary to multiple other sources cited in comments to the question), but is probably a sign that my prose needs to be reworked. It could be lengthened to > Elena was analytical again, and the empathy was absent from her tone. Is my original version incorrect (why)? If I use a semi-colon as Word suggests, it would be the only one in the novel. What other options do I have to keep the sentence crisp without altering the meaning?