Using Semicolons and Commas

Question 2 • 2025/26 IGC-English I - Prescriptive

Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly?

Answer

NASA is planning to send astronauts to the moon; but it will take several years to accomplish.

Because NASA wanted to run tests before sending people; one rocket has already circled the moon and returned to Earth.

The next big step in the moon mission is to send a crew of four astronauts to the moon; the mission will take about 10 days.

If the moon mission is successful; NASA hopes to send astronauts to Mars in the future.

Explanation

A semicolon can join two closely related independent clauses—clauses that can each stand alone as a sentence. In C, “The next big step ... is to send a crew ... to the moon” and “the mission will take about 10 days” are both complete sentences. A uses “but,” which normally follows a comma, while B and D place a semicolon after a dependent clause.

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