Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly: "I went to the store; it was closed" or "I went; to the store"?

• A. I went to the store; it was closed
• B. I went; to the store
• C. I went to the store, it was closed
• D. I went to the store and it was closed

Answer: (A)

A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses that are closely related. Each part of the sentence has its own subject and verb, so both could stand as complete sentences: “I went to the store” and “it was closed.” The semicolon links them to show their relationship without adding a conjunction.

The other options don’t fit semicolon usage. Placing a semicolon between “I went” and “to the store” splits a verb from its complement, so it doesn’t connect two complete thoughts. Using a comma to join two independent clauses (“I went to the store, it was closed”) creates a comma splice. And writing with “and” to connect the clauses uses a conjunction rather than a semicolon, so it’s not demonstrating correct semicolon usage.