Semicolons in complex sentences examples. Dash in compound and complex sentences. Using semicolons

They play a big role in the Russian language. This was noted by F. Buslaev, pointing out that they contribute to the clarity of presentation of thoughts. Everyone knows the phrase from the fairy tale “The Twelve Months”: “Execution cannot be pardoned.” This is a clear example of how punctuation can change the meaning of a sentence.

Punctuation of text is always difficult. And placing a dash in sentences, both simple and complex, is especially difficult. This is explained by the polysemy and various functions of the punctuation mark. In addition, in some cases it is identified with a comma.

The role of dashes in sentences

The grammar of the Russian language divides all punctuation marks into highlighting, separating and separating. In addition, they can be single or paired.

The separating dash is located between the subject and predicate, homogeneous members and the generalizing word in simple sentences and between parts of complex ones: non-union, less often with allied communications. The emphasizing is used as a paired sign in applications, introductory and insertive constructions. Another (additional) function of the dash is to design sentences with direct speech and dialogue in writing. Thus, we can outline the algorithm of actions when placing this punctuation mark: remember the rule and determine the role of the dash in the sentence. This approach will help you write consciously and avoid

Dash between subject and predicate

The most well-known rule for placing the punctuation mark in question is inside the grammatical stem. His role in in this case comes down to replacing the missing part of a compound predicate, usually a nominal one. Hence the conditions for setting a dash in such a case. The sentence “predicate subject to a dash” will correspond to one of the schemes:

noun - noun (both in the nominative case): “Siberia is the vast and rich region of Russia”;
infinitive - infinitive: “To study is to work constantly”;
noun - infinitive or infinitive - noun: “Doing good is the law of life for moral people”;
numeral - numeral: "Five six is thirty."

The words THIS, MEANS THIS IS, are always preceded by a dash: “Helping older people is a sign of good manners.” Another possible case: infinitive - an adverb with the meaning (or category word) of a state, but only if there is a logical pause between the subject and the predicate: “Not knowing the rules for crossing the road is life-threatening.”

Dash is superfluous

You also need to know well when punctuation is not placed between the subject and the predicate. In such cases, a punctuation error is often made, which is not always explained by simple carelessness. Here are the rules fixed by Russian grammar:

subject - personal pronoun, predicate - noun;
between the main members, expressed by the nominal part of speech, the negative particle NOT or conjunctions are used: AS AS WHAT, LIKE, AS WHAT;
predicate - an adjective, usually in short form.

Here are possible sentences with a dash - examples of their use in speech: “You are a person with irrepressible energy”, “The young rake is not a role model”, “Her eyes are like fire”, “The boy is timid and overly fearful”.

The following options should also be noted (they do not occur so often): “The Countess is already an elderly person” - before the predicate-noun there is a minor member related to it; “This fisherman is a wonderful man” - inversion (i.e., reverse word order).

Although it should be noted that placing a dash in sentences of this type is allowed in works of art. The author’s task in this case is to focus the reader’s attention on the meaning expressed by the subject or predicate.

Dash in a simple sentence that is syntactically or semantically incomplete

Quite often, especially in colloquial speech that needs to be recorded in writing, you can encounter cases of missing a predicate (or a minor member). The meaning does not suffer, but the design causes difficulties. This is an example in which the missing term (usually the predicate) is redundant. The reasons may be as follows:

it is easily reconstructed from the context (“The first wanted meat, the second wanted fish, so they decided to limit themselves to a salad”);
with syntactic parallelism (“Here is everything is mine, behind the forest is mine, behind that field is also mine”);
in constructions where there are two nouns - the first in the dative case, the second in the accusative case (“For my sister - a doll, for my brother - a car”).

Punctuation of homogeneous members

There is another case of placing a dash in a simple sentence. This concerns the formulation with homogeneous terms, where several points can also be highlighted.

Homogeneous members - a generalizing word (“Daisies, cornflowers, bluebells - wildflowers looked good in the vase”).
Generalizing word: homogeneous members - ... (“Classmates: Vitaly, Yura, Sergey - immediately came to the rescue”).
In place of the omission of the second part of the double union connecting homogeneous members (“The owner not only warmly welcomed the guest - he also gave him a whole basket of food for the journey”).
When relations of opposition or surprise are established between homogeneous members (“Contrary to expectations, she was not afraid - she was even happy about the news”).

Highlighting sign when applied

A dash can be used in a simple sentence and as a paired sign. This is the isolation of an application or the selection of introductory and plug-in structures. Sometimes in such situations it is allowed to replace it with commas. But there are cases when a dash is the only possible punctuation mark. In order not to make a mistake in setting it up, you should remember the proposed rules.

Here are the most common sentences with dashes: examples of highlighting applications.

Before it you can put the word NAMELY: “The hostess prepared a delicious lunch - fish soup from caught fish and salad from fresh vegetables».
It is explanatory in nature: “The owner, who came out onto the porch - still a rather cheerful old man - peered for a long time into the faces of the unexpected guests.”
The application stands before the word being defined: “A delicious sweet berry - strawberries for dessert, caused delight among everyone who sat at the table.”
One of the homogeneous members spreads: “In the evening everyone arrived: an elderly aunt, a cousin - the son of a recently deceased uncle, three cousins on his mother’s side.”
A dash separates several homogeneous applications from the defined word: “An excellent student from the first grade, an active participant in all school events, support and head of the team - Marina could not help but take part in the upcoming holiday.”

Emphasizing sign for introductory and inserted structures

Sentences of this type may contain commas, parentheses, and dashes. How not to make a mistake in choosing the right punctuation mark? What are the characteristics of sentences with a dash?

Examples that well illustrate this punctuation rule indicate that the introductory construction:

widespread: “Little visitors to the workshop, or - as they are affectionately called by both the friendly owners and the authors of the works - the inspirers of new ideas, have always been welcome guests”;
conveys the author’s feelings (in this case there is also an exclamation or question mark before the dash): “The whole program - how do you like it? - was, as a result, prepared to please one person.”

When highlighting inserted structures, dashes and parentheses are used equally.

Complex sentences with coordinating and subordinating connections

In such cases, the dash, as a rule, is not the main punctuation mark and can be used instead of a comma. This replacement is explained by the fact that attention is focused on key words or their combination in a sentence, the special intonation of the phrase.

Here are examples of appropriate placement of a dash in a conjunction.

Relationships of opposition or surprise in the SSP (compound): “You drop a long straw on the water - and it will easily float along the waves of the river.”
One or both parts of the SSP are a nominative sentence: “Instantly - and the robber was right in front of her.”
In the SPP (compound), if the main clause is preceded by an explanatory, concessive or conditional clause: “If someone knocks during our absence, do not open the door!”
A repeated predicate-verb is omitted in one or more parts of a complex sentence: “Some believed that such a donation would be enough, others that the amount still needed to be increased.”
In the SPP with a homogeneous subordination of subordinate clauses located at the beginning: “What happened after he left, why did the sister open the door to a stranger - he never found answers to these questions.”

Dash in a complex sentence with a non-conjunction connection

Russian grammar quite clearly defines the production. The main thing you need to pay attention to is to correctly establish the semantic relationships contained in it. A dash between sentences (predicative parts) of the BSP is placed in several cases.

In the first part there is an indication of the time or condition of the action being performed: “If you read the book to the end, you will go on the rides.” Such a proposal can easily be reconstructed into an IPS.

Second part:

denotes a rapid change of events or an unexpected result: “The door opened slightly - there was a strong bang”;
contrasted with the first (= A): “A lot of time has passed - the melancholy has not passed”;
indicates a consequence or result (= THEN, THEREFORE): “I will not return here again - soon everything will be forgotten”;
contains a comparison (= AS WELL as): “If he looks from under his brows, he will burn with fire”;
joins with the words SO, THIS, SUCH: “In ten days everything will fall into place - such a thought calmed and inspired hope.”

Thus, sentences with a dash (we gave examples in the article) will not cause much difficulty if you know the rules.

1. If the second part of a complex sentence contains unexpected accession or sharp contrast then between the parts a dash is placed before the coordinating conjunction instead of a comma:The heavy shackles will fall, the prisons will collapse - And freedom will greet you joyfully at the entrance(P.); A light whistle was heard- And Dubrovsky fell silent(P.); I'm in a hurry to get there the whole city is already there(P.); Everyone jumped up and grabbed their guns.- and the fun began (L.); But then the playing rays poured out again- And the mighty luminary rises cheerfully and majestically(T.); Vavila threw something into the fire and stomped on it- And it immediately became very dark(Ch.).

2. If the first part of a complex sentence or both parts are one-part nominative (or nominal) sentences, as a rule, a dash is placed between parts: Another pressure - and the enemy runs (P.); One more minute of explanation- And long-standing enmity was about to fade away(G.); Here's a cry - and everything around became quiet again(L.); A few more words, a few more caresses from mother- And a deep sleep took possession of me(Ax.); One more moment - and I will fall at her feet(ACT.); Fifteen years of such work- And car human body all broken(G.‑M.); A moment - and everything was drowning in darkness again(Cor.); ...Wrong hand movement- And the machine crushes your bones(M.G.); The crack of a shirt being torn- And Gavrila was lying on the sand(J. G.); One jump and the lion is already on the back of the buffalo(Cupr.); Another year, two - and old age... (Er.); One step, one joyful step- And free life opens up, transparent as air, infinity!(Fed.); The smile of a little daughter, sun glare on frosty windows, successfully toasted bread- And now she is already glowing, singing in her thin, trembling voice, mixing swill for the cows(Nick.); The dry crack of a rocket launcher - and two crumbly green lights flash in the sky(Prim.); Half an hour to rest— and back to work!; Another two or three days and everyone will go home.

3. Sometimes a complex sentence breaks up into two semantic parts, between which a dash is placed: B mountains, if you push a stone from a height, it will tear off another, a third in its flight, they will entail dozens that will collapse hundreds,— and now a whole avalanche of stones, blocks and clods of earth collapses into the abyss with increasing aspiration, and a roar rolls out across the mountains, and dust, like smoke, covers the slopes, and a menacing echo roams through the gorges in riffles(Fed.); Then the glass will be cooled, polished, checked for color and ringing— and then you will scoop up the spring water, and it will be transparent like water(Pinch.).

4. There is a dash in short constructions like:To photograph— ive newspaper; All you have to do is reach out your hand— and the trick is in the bag; If you want fresh vegetables, please; would you like some fruit?— and there will be no refusal here.

Notes: 1. If, according to the conditions of the context, a comma is needed at the end of the first part of a compound sentence, then it is retained before the dash: Gavrik could have told the merchant that he and his grandfather had absolutely no money, that they had to buy bread and meat for bait, that they only needed fifteen or twenty kopecks, - But Was it worth the humiliation?(Cat.)

2. To enhance the connotation of surprise in a complex sentence, a dash can be placed after the coordinating conjunction: I really want to go there and meet them, but I’m afraid (M.G.).

1. Parts of a complex sentence separated by commas , if connecting relationships are established between them (unions and, yes, neither... nor), adversatives (conjunctions a, but, yes, however, same, but, otherwise ), dividing (unions or, either, whether... or, whether... whether, then... that, not that... not that ), connecting (unions yes and, and besides, also, also ) and explanatory (conjunctions namely, that is ).

For example: My narration turns out to be strictly documentary, and then I must follow the chosen path (Chiv.); There was a misunderstanding, and Ivan Nikolaevich (Bulg.) was, of course, to blame for it; The lanterns had already been lit on Bronnaya, and the golden moon was shining over the Patriarchs (Bulg.); There is salt in Kara-Bugaz, but no coal, oil... (Paust.); The small area in front of the house was paved, and winter time there was a snowdrift with a shovel on it, and in the summer it turned into a magnificent section of a summer restaurant under a canvas awning (Bulg.); Have you heard of open windows the ringing of the city and monastery bells, whether a peacock was screaming in the courtyard, or someone was coughing in the hallway, everyone involuntarily came to the thought that Mikhail Ilyich was seriously ill (Ch.); It is necessary to get bread, that is, you need to plow, sow, mow, thresh (Ch.); Bykov had little understanding of why Vasiliev refused the trip, and the pilot was of little interest to the lieutenant’s personal plans (Sayan).

Unions either... or V compound sentence are equated to repeated conjunctions, and therefore a comma before or is put, in contrast to the use of the same conjunction with homogeneous members in a simple sentence, where the combination either... or does not form repeated conjunctions, as a result of which the comma before or not installed.

Compare: Did fate bring us together again in the Caucasus, or did she come here on purpose, knowing that she would meet me (L.); Was the loving image of the beautiful sailor still preserved in her memory, or was her attention to the deceased and his family a friendly gratitude for past happiness (Kupr.); – Does he see it or not (G.).

2. In a complex sentence no comma in the following cases:

1) if the parts of a complex sentence have a common minor member or a common subordinate clause.

For example: Through the rain the sun shone and a rainbow spread from edge to edge (Prishv.); When the sun rose the dew has dried and the grass has turned green;

If the subordinate clause refers only to one of the parts of a complex sentence, then its second part is separated by a comma.

For example: Romashov knew perfectly well that Shurochka was not in this bright, festive group, but when he looked there, every time something sweetly ached near his heart, and he wanted to breathe often from a strange, causeless excitement (Kupr.);

2) if the parts of a complex sentence are united by a common introductory word, have a common isolated member or are combined with an explanatory meaning in relation to the third part - explained by them.

For example: In a word, the time had already expired and it was time to leave; Contrary to all the forecasters' predictions, the sky had already cleared and the rain had stopped; Soon we found ourselves in front of the gorge: The water rustled below and the falling of stones could be heard; It was impossible to stop: the legs were sucked in and the footprints filled with water (Paust.);

3) if the parts of a complex sentence are nominative or impersonal sentences of a homogeneous composition.

For example: Do you hear? A hoarse groan and an angry rattle! (P.); The trees were dripping and there was a smell of leaves all around.

However, if there are more than two nominative sentences and the conjunction is repeated, then commas are placed - according to the rule that applies when identifying homogeneous members of a sentence.

For example: The hiss of underwater sand, the awkward movement of a crab, and the run of a goby, and the round ice jellyfish (Bagr.); And the blue smoke, and the first meetings, the vague anxiety, and the scarf thrown over the shoulders, the government house and the long road (Sim.).

A comma is also placed if the predicates of impersonal sentences are not homogeneous in composition.

For example: It smells like something unfamiliar and it’s very hot (O.B.);

4) if parts of a complex sentence are imperative, interrogative or exclamatory sentences; What unites here is a single intonation; incentive sentences may also contain common particles.

For example: Where will the meeting be and who is its chairman?

– general interrogative intonation; How quiet it is around and how clear the starry sky is! – general exclamatory intonation; Let the sun shine and the birds sing! – general particle; a union can also be a unifying element: The May cold ended, it became warm, and the bird cherry withered. But there are buds of rowan and lilac is blooming (Prishv.). 3. In a complex sentence there may be a semicolon

, if its parts are significantly common and have commas inside. For example:

The heart feels horror in this brief moment, which divides the roar of thunder into blows; and they thunder, and the clouds burst, throwing golden arrows and lightning from their ranks to the ground. (M.G.) This seemed like a paradox to me, and I did not immediately understand the meaning of his words; but he is like this: behind the Kilda king is a cultured country, thousands of the same, brought up in civil freedom, hard work in the mountains, the same lonely, but invisibly connected kings. (Prishv.) Although he knew the way, last time he went to the tankers during the day; at night everything seemed different, unfamiliar. (Kaz.), 4. Between parts of a complex sentence

For example: there may be a dash if the second part of the sentence contains the meaning of a result, a sharp contrast, or represents an unexpected addition in relation to the first part. The train flew into the twilight - and all the objects outside the window merged into one continuous blackness (Current); They will sit side by side on the rubble, smoke, talk about this and that - and so be it (Cool); At first I tried not to scoop up water or dirt into my shoes, but I stumbled once, stumbled again - and it didn’t matter (Sol.); He walked through the village once or twice - and everyone got used to him (Cool); Perhaps he will give money, the government will allow it - and the monastery will rise again (Prishv.); Let's cross the stream along the oak tree - and into the swamp (Prishv.); Ask and I won’t tell (Prishv.); At first you are so afraid to waste minutes: you know that time is limited, they will delay you for nothing - and you will miss it forever (Prishv.); He stubbornly avoided being alone with her - he dragged Pika along with him

, That complained of ill health (Fad.); The windows of the fourth floor were not visible, it blinked - and a pale spot appeared behind the bars (Prishv.); You put a stick on the water and it floats with the flow (Prishv.). 5. In a complex sentence

For example: Baring his teeth, the headman began to beat him with a whip on anything - and from pain and horror Averky woke up all in tears (Bun.); Next in line were police stations, and there no one had heard anything about David (Prishv.); One more turn in the road, and she reached for the bridge (Eb.).

This division of parts of a complex sentence can be considered somewhat outdated: firstly, due to the excessive accumulation of punctuation marks, especially if the sentence is not widespread enough and is not complicated by internal highlighting; secondly, if the parts of a sentence are common, then such a sign does not clearly convey the relationship of the parts, especially if there is a dash inside.

The use of a comma and a dash as a single punctuation mark cannot be confused with the combination of a comma and a dash, when each sign stands on its own.

For example: Out of old habit, he was infected with this feeling, but he soon realized that he was only happy about the fire, happy about the entertainment, about the fact that they would come running to him, drag him out of the barn onto the grass, he also realized that the fire was far away and that nothing of this will, - He again I felt indifference, lay down again (Bun.); Under my unpleasantly weakening legs, I could feel something growing from below, lifting me up, then falling to the side, parting, and the floor was moving deeper and deeper from under my feet (Bun.); Who knows how long you will have to stay in the taiga - and all the time behind Grinka and his comrades (Shuksh.).

Syntactic analysis of complex sentences

DISASSEMBLY ORDER

1. Determine the type of offer:
a) according to the purpose of the statement (narrative, interrogative, motivating);
b) by emotional coloring (exclamation, non-exclamation);
c) in relation to the statement (affirmative or negative).
2. Select predicative constructions.

3. Determine the type syntactic connection, indicate the type of union:
a) by meaning (conjunctive, adversative, explanatory);
b) by structure (simple, compound);
c) by function (single, repeating).

4. Explain punctuation.

5. Disassemble the parts complex sentence(modeled on a simple sentence).

6. Outline the sentence.

SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

I shook their hands with a smile, and they eagerly began to talk about themselves. (M. Prishvin.)

1.
a) Narrative sentence;
b) non-exclamatory;
c) affirmative.

2. The sentence is complex, it has two predicative stems: I shook their hands with a smile and They willingly began to talk about themselves.

3. Predicative constructions, they are connected by a coordinating conjunction And :
a) connecting;
b) simple;
c) single.

4. At the end of a declarative sentence there is a period; a comma is placed before the conjunction.

5. Offer I shook their hands with a smile- two-part: subject I shook- simple verbal, expressed by the predicative form of the verb; common: indirect object them and direct object hands, as well as the circumstance of the course of action with a smile relate to the predicate shook; complete.

Offer They willingly began to talk about themselves- two-part: subject They expressed by a pronominal noun; predicate started telling- compound verb, expressed by the infinitive of a full verb tell and an auxiliary verb become; common: About Me- the indirect object, as well as the circumstance of the manner of action, willingly relate to the predicate started telling; complete.

A complex sentence is a sentence that has independent parts connected to each other. The components, as a rule, have equal semantic and grammatical meaning. They can be separated by a comma, semicolon, or dash. Punctuation in a complex sentence is one of the most difficult topics in punctuation.

Connecting unions

Which ones are put in It depends on the context. And in order to answer this difficult question, it is first necessary to understand what kind of structure such a unit of language has. If it consists of two or more simple sentences, then it is a compound sentence. Moreover, its parts have a semantic connection with each other, and they are separated by punctuation marks. In a complex sentence, in most cases these are commas. They are placed in the presence of one of the connecting conjunctions (and, yes). Examples:

The autumn foliage glowed in the sun in shades of green, red and yellow, and in this bright multicolor the deserted and dull river bank looked so strange.
Look around and you can see so many new and interesting things.
Elena spoke in a whisper, and her mother also tried not to make noise.

Opposing alliances

These service parts are necessary for combining and connecting homogeneous members of a sentence. They create a semantic opposition between them, emphasizing the difference or inconsistency. And such words are always preceded by punctuation marks. In a complex sentence - in the presence of adversative conjunctions - the component parts are separated by a comma. Examples:

Ivan Petrovich’s whole body ached from fatigue, but it was so pleasant to be in interesting company and listen to his favorite music.
We need to finally take all this out old furniture in the trash, and other things don’t leave any time for household chores.
Colleagues treated the new history teacher with hostility, but her students loved her with all their hearts.
Material dependence on anyone is not in her principles, but work and a separate apartment create a feeling of freedom.
His parents will have to take action, otherwise he will one day be expelled from school for such performance.

In addition to such service parts of speech as but, then, yes, or else, adversatives also include conjunctions but, however, otherwise.

Dividing unions

Punctuation marks in a complex sentence are placed before such service units speech, like or, either, then...that, or...or, whether...or, not that...not that. When there is a double disjunctive conjunction, a comma is always placed before its second component. Examples:

Calm down, or worse will happen.
He would fall silent and then start talking again.
Something needs to be done or he will die!
Whether he had serious intentions or whether he was playing again was unclear.

Separating punctuation marks between parts of a complex sentence in the presence of a double conjunction are placed before its second component.

Affiliation unions

These include unions yes, moreover, also, too. One of them must be preceded by a comma. Examples:

He liked her more and more, he also seemed to be interested in her.
The appearance of this man made a rather depressing impression, and his voice was also unpleasant.

Explanatory conjunctions

As can be seen from the name, these words are intended to clarify and clarify. Unions of this kind - namely, that is. They must always be preceded by a comma. Examples:

After this terrible event, the number of residents decreased, namely, only a gentleman with an indifferent expression remained and two old women who could hardly hear anything.
The time chosen for the conversation was appropriate, that is, it was quiet, calm and there was no need to fear the arrival of uninvited guests.

In what cases are punctuation marks not used?

Compound sentences, examples of which are given below, do not have a comma. Each of them has a connecting union. But the parts of the sentence are united by a minor member, and therefore no punctuation is required. Examples:

Soon after the train arrived, tourists flooded the town and wandered its streets idly until late in the evening.
His mother has huge, kind, hazel eyes and soft flaxen hair.
By that time, the publishing house had published several children's books and two collections of poetry.

However, if the members of the sentence are united by a minor member, but the conjunction is repeated, a comma is added. Examples:

On such a frosty winter night, the wolf does not wander, and the bear does not emerge from its den.
In sunny, windless weather, you don’t even want to work, and the sandy beach keeps attracting and distracting you from your work.

as a common part

It’s not just the minor member that can be common. Sometimes a subordinate clause also plays its role. And, of course, in this case there is also no comma. Examples:

It was already dawn and people were gathering at the bus stop when he was just returning home.
When the guest was escorted home, it was completely dark outside and only moonlight illuminated the way.
When he walked on stage, his heart was beating strongly and his hands were visibly shaking.

Interrogative sentence

You should know that commas are not always placed before a connecting conjunction. In some cases, punctuation marks are not required in complex sentences. Examples:

Who is he and why did he come without calling first?
How did they get here and what do they need?
What time will the meeting take place and what exactly will be discussed?
Will Magomed come to the mountain or should the mountain go to Magomed?

In each of the above examples, the sentence consists of two interrogative stems. The parts are united by interrogative intonation. Therefore, punctuation marks are not required in a complex sentence of this type.

Similar to the previous examples, punctuation marks between parts of a complex sentence are not required in the following phrases:

Fire all employees and hire new ones only after my approval!
How funny he is and how ridiculous his antics are! (Exclamatory sentence.)
They began to look for traces of the crime, but, as always, they found nothing (vaguely personal sentence).

You should know that when repeating a connecting conjunction, a comma is placed between impersonal parts of a sentence. Example: And rain, and wind, and haze.

Semicolon

Separating punctuation marks between parts of a complex sentence are not always commas. If parts of a complex structure are common sentences and also have commas inside them, they are separated by a semicolon. Examples:

He invented all this himself, because he absolutely did not remember what he dreamed of last night; but when his mother, touched by this story, began to calm and console him, he almost burst into tears.
She felt unbearably sad the moment they saw each other for the last time; however, something similar to relief appeared in her soul.
He spoke to her tenderly, held her hand, and happiness shone in his eyes; and she took everything for granted, because she was used to enthusiastic looks and had long ceased to appreciate them.

A comma with a period is often placed before such conjunctions as but, however, yes and, but. And only in rare cases - before a. Examples:

For five years this strange work was carried out on the construction of the building; but either the climate was unsuitable, or the material was of poor quality, but the work did not progress beyond the foundation.
He studied well, although he was not particularly diligent; he was never seriously sad about anything; however, from time to time some kind of wild, uncontrollable stubbornness came over him.
Drunkenness and disorder were common among the inhabitants of this village; but many of the necessary qualities were rare for the local inhabitants: hard work, honesty, friendliness.

Rules for placing punctuation marks in complex sentences may allow the presence of a semicolon before conjunctions Yes And And. But only in those rare cases when this sign stands between two sentences, which without it would be separated by a period. Example:

Soon the entire park, warmed by the rays of the spring sun, came to life, and drops of dew, like diamonds, sparkled on the tulips; and the old, already somewhat neglected park seemed festively elegant that day.

Dash

All of the above suggestions are examples of the application of rules that a student should know high school. One of the topics that receive special attention in Russian language lessons is “Punctuation marks in a complex sentence.” Grade 9 is an important stage in the school curriculum, when previously acquired knowledge is generalized and consolidated. Dashes in complex sentences are a deeper issue. It is worth giving at least a few examples of the use of this punctuation mark.

It is placed in cases where there is a sharp opposition or addition in the second part of the sentence. Examples:

The hunter threw something into the blazing fire - and immediately everything around lit up.
He hurried there, ran as fast as he could - but there was not a soul there.

To correctly place punctuation marks in a complex sentence, it is necessary to determine the composition of its parts. And if there are only two of them, and each of them is one-component nominative, a dash should be placed between them. Examples:

One more moment - and he will fall at her feet.
Ten years of such existence - and the human soul is broken.

Dividing a sentence into two semantic parts

Sometimes one long phrase contains a description of two phenomena or actions. In such cases, the sentence is divided into two semantic parts using a dash. Example:

In the mountains, if you push a small stone from a great height, it will hit another in flight, then a third, and they will entail dozens, and then hundreds - and then a terrible stone avalanche quickly collapses down.

But a dash can also separate simple designs: “You just have to say a good word - and the person is saved.”

Punctuation marks in compound and complex sentences are topics that can only be mastered through practical exercises. Rules are remembered faster if you use various schemes. And although spelling and punctuation are sections humanities, it is worth creating simple graphic images. Especially when we are talking about a topic like “Punctuation marks in complex sentences.”

Table (conjunctions and punctuation marks in complex sentences)

Below is a table that contains the basic rules for using commas, semicolons and dashes between parts. Also, conjunctions that correspond to one or another punctuation mark are indicated.

*Punctuation marks are not required*	*Comma*	*Semicolon*	*Dash*
Before unions and, yes, if the parts of the sentence have a common element (minor member of the sentence, subordinate part, introductory word, particle)	and, yes , too, also, moreover	Sentence parts are common	In the second part there is an accession or opposition
A sentence consists of parts, each of which is an interrogative, imperative, exclamatory or indefinite personal sentence	Between simple sentences, before conjunctions and, however, not that, moreover		One or two parts are nominative clauses
A sentence consists of parts that include synonymous words	Between simple sentences, before conjunctions or, or		The sentence breaks down into semantic parts
	Between simple sentences, before conjunctions namely, that is		The offer consists of short designs

From all of the above, one can conclude: in order to correctly place punctuation marks, it is necessary to determine the type of sentence, highlight its grammatical foundations, and then understand what type of conjunctions are the auxiliary parts of speech that connect the parts of this sentence.

1. Complex sentence.

Complex is a sentence that has two or more independent grammatical stems connected by coordinating conjunctions.

Punctuation marks in a complex sentence.

A comma is placed between parts of a complex sentence connected by conjunctions:
1. connecting ( and, yes in meaning and, neither... nor);
2. adversative ( ah, but, yes in meaning but, however, on the other hand, otherwise, not);
3. dividing ( or, either, whether... whether, then... that, not those... not that);
4. connecting ( yes, yes and, too, also);
5. explanatory ( that is, namely).
If parts of a complex sentence are significantly common or have commas inside them, then between them a semicolon is added(before unions But And Yes meaning "and" only when they connect parts that would otherwise be separated by a point): Almost every evening later they went somewhere out of town to Oreanda or to a waterfall; And the walk was a success, the impressions were invariably beautiful and majestic each time (H), I only had blue paint, But, despite this, I decided to draw a hunt (L. T), I thought he started crying, A I must tell you that Azamat was a stubborn boy, and nothing could make him cry, even when he was younger (L.)
If in second part compound sentence contains an unexpected addition or sharp contrast to the first part, then between them a dash is placed instead of a comma: Deft and strong blows with sledgehammers on the barrels of machine guns - and the Nazis can no longer shoot (V. Stavsky). I rush there - and the whole city is already there (P.)

Comma before unions oh yeah(meaning "and"), or, or in a compound sentence not placed:
1. common minor member (In such a storm the wolf does not prowl and the bear does not crawl out of the den);
2. if parts of a complex sentence have (When the thunderstorm started, the game stopped and the children rushed to run home);
3. between two nominal proposals (Walk in the forest and boating);
4. between two interrogative proposals (What time is it now and how much time is left before the train leaves?).
There is no comma between two impersonal sentences that have synonymous words as part of the predicates (You need to rewrite the work and explain the mistakes made in it).
A comma is placed between parts of a complex sentence that have common minor member or general subordinate clause, if these parts are connected repeating conjunction (Heavy trucks were moving along the streets and rushing Cars, and pedestrians walked hurriedly).
If the parts of the sentence are not connected by a repeating conjunction, but have a common member, then a comma between them not placed: The eyes sparkled on the pale face and the nose stretched out.

2. Complex sentence.

Difficult to subordinate a sentence is a complex sentence that contains main part And dependent(subordinate clause). The parts of such a sentence are interconnected subordinating conjunctions or allied words.

Punctuation marks in complex sentences.

Subordinate clause separated from the main one comma or separated by commas on both sides, if located inside the main.
Sometimes, with intonational emphasis, explanatory clauses (as well as conditional ones with the conjunction whether), standing before the main clause, are separated from it not by a comma, but dash: He who is cheerful laughs (L.-K.); As the teacher said, I listened for a long time at the window (Plsch.); Of course, it’s good that he’s getting married to her, but who knows how they’ll live (M. G.); Whether a plowman sings a song in the distance, the long song touches the heart; Will the forest begin - pine and aspen (N.)(V last example in the second part there is an incomplete sentence).
In rare cases, before subordinating conjunction is put colon: this occurs when in the previous part of a complex sentence contains a special warning about subsequent clarification(you can insert the words here "namely"): Hadji Murat sat next to him in the room and, although he did not understand what they were saying, he understood, however, what he needed to understand: that they were arguing about him and that his departure from Shamil was a matter of great importance for the Russians.. (L T .)
When a subordinate clause is connected to the main clause using complex subordinating conjunction (because, in view of the fact that, due to the fact that, due to the fact that, due to the fact that, because of that, so that, instead of, in order to, so that, after, while, since like, etc.), That the comma is placed once:
1. before the union, if the subordinate clause follows the main clause: We sat on the corner of the bastion, so we could see everything in both directions (L.);
2. after the entire subordinate clause, if it precedes the main thing: As I spoke, he came to his senses (M. G.)
Note. Depending on the meaning, a complex conjunction can break up into two parts: the first part will be part of the main sentence as a relative word, and the second will serve as a conjunction; in such cases a comma is placed only before the second part of a complex conjunction: He lost weight overnight so that only skin and bones remained (L. T.); Grandfather ordered not to wake up Tanyusha until she wakes up (Ax.). Complex unions then, as if, even if, only when don't break.
If a subordinating conjunction or relative word is preceded by negation "Not" or repeating further coordinating conjunction oh, or, or and so on., then the subordinate clause not separated from main comma: What matters is not what he said, but how he said it; It was noisy both when the children played in the yard and when they gathered in the dining room(a comma is placed between subordinate clauses in such cases).
They are not subordinate clauses and do not separate That's why comma irreducible expressions at any cost, as if nothing had happened, whatever it takes, whatever it takes and so on.
Subordinate clause, consisting of only one relative word, no comma separated: He was offended, but he said why.

3. Complex non-union sentence.

A non-union complex sentence is a sentence in which the parts that form it (simple sentences) are interconnected in meaning, intonation, and the order in which the parts are arranged. Between the parts of such a sentence no unions.

Punctuation marks in a non-union complex sentence.

Comma and semicolon in a non-union complex sentence

Between independent sentences combined into one complex non-union sentence, a comma is added, if such proposals are closely related in meaning: The deep darkness in the sky was thinning, day fell on the dark valley, dawn rose (P.).
If parts of a non-union complex sentence distant from each other by meaning or are very common and have commas inside them, then between them a semicolon is added: At the gate I saw an old cast-iron cannon; the streets were cramped and crooked,” the huts were low and mostly covered with thatch (P.); It was already evening; the sun disappeared behind a small aspen grove that lay half a mile from the garden; its shadow stretched endlessly across the motionless fields (T.).
If a non-union complex sentence falls apart(groups of sentences), meaningfully distant from each other, then between them a semicolon is added, and within these parts simple sentences are separated by a comma: The forest smell intensifies, there is a slight whiff of warm dampness; the wind that has taken off near you freezes (T.); The pale gray sky became lighter, colder, and bluer; the stars blinked with faint light and then disappeared; the ground became damp, the leaves began to sweat, in some places living sounds and voices began to be heard (T.).

A colon in a non-union complex sentence is placed:

If the second part (one or more sentences) explains, reveals the content of what is said in the first part (you can insert words between both parts "namely"): I was not mistaken: the old man did not refuse the offered glass. (P.) Here a rather interesting picture opened up: a wide hut, the roof of which rested on two sooty pillars, was full of people (L.);
If in the first sentence using verbs see, look, hear, know, feel etc. a warning is given that what will follow is a statement of some fact or some description: I know: in your heart there is both pride and direct honor (P.); Pavel feels: someone’s fingers are touching his arm above the elbow (N.O.).
1. Sometimes these verbs are omitted: He thought, sniffed: it smells like honey (Ch.)(missing: and felt that).
2. If the first sentence is pronounced without a hint of warning, then a comma is placed instead of a colon: I hear the earth tremble (N.).
If the second part indicates the basis, the reason for what is said in the first part (you can insert a conjunction between both parts because): They were silent the whole way to the farm: the bumpy ride made it difficult to talk (Ch.).

In these cases, most often the main part of the statement (corresponding to the main clause in complex sentences) is contained in the first part of the non-union complex sentence, and in the second part (corresponding to the subordinate clause in complex sentences) an explanation is provided, revealing the content of the first part.

A dash in a non-union complex sentence is placed:

If the second part contains an unexpected addition, an indication of a rapid change of events: Suddenly men with axes appeared - the forest rang, groaned, crackled (N.); Ignat pulled the trigger - the gun misfired (Ch.);
If the second part contains sharp contrast in relation to the first part: The oak is holding on - the reed has fallen to the ground (Kr.); They mowed a mile - they mowed a penny (M. G.);
If the second part contains consequence, conclusion from what is said in the first part: Praise is tempting - how can you not want it? (Kr.);
If in the first part the time of the action is indicated, which is discussed in the second part (you can add the union When): They plow the arable land - they don’t wave their hands (ate); The forest is being cut down - the chips are flying (ate);
If the first part means condition for performing an action, which is discussed in the second part (you can add the union If): If you love to ride, you also love to carry sleds(last); Lying on the stove - no workdays to be seen(last);
If one part contains comparison with what is said in another: Says a word - the nightingale sings (L.).

A dash is placed also in cases where The second part a non-conjunctive complex sentence is incomplete sentence : (I thought it was a wolf).