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You can use an em dash when the phrase on either side is not necessarily a full sentence. Semi-colons must join two full sentences. I turned and saw him — filthy, battered, exhausted, but unqu...
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#4: Attribution notice removed
by
System
·
2019-12-13T12:00:18Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/8522 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#3: Attribution notice added
by
System
·
2019-12-08T03:00:40Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/8522 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision
You can use an em dash when the phrase on either side is not necessarily a full sentence. Semi-colons _must_ join two full sentences. > I turned and saw him — filthy, battered, exhausted, but unquestionably alive. > > I turned and saw him — he was filthy, battered, exhausted — but I couldn't reach him. > > I turned and saw him — he was filthy, battered, and exhausted, but unquestionably alive. > > I turned and saw him; he was filthy, battered, and exhausted, but unquestionably alive.
#1: Imported from external source
by
System
·
2013-07-28T20:56:06Z (over 11 years ago)
Original score: 3