A compound sentence is made by joining two simple sentences together. We usually use a conjunction (one of the FANBOYS) to join the two simple sentences into a compound sentence.
We can also make a compound sentence using a semicolon. (;)
It is hot; we had to skip baseball practice.
We could write this compound sentence with a conjunction like this:
It is hot, so we had to skip baseball practice.
Notice how the semicolon works just like a comma and a conjunction.
Here are more examples using first a comma FANBOYS and then a semicolon.
I play the violin, and my brother plays the saxophone.
I play the violin; my brother plays the saxophone.
I wish I could help you, but I can’t.
I wish I could help you; I can’t.
Use a comma FANBOYS or a semicolon to join two simple sentences into a compound sentence.
▶It’s your turn. Can you rewrite this compound sentence using a semicolon? It is raining, so I brought the dog inside. Did you take out the comma so and use a semicolon instead? Good for you!