Help me understand a particular kind of English grammar...

[Peter_20]

Yes, but the semicolons are harder to use than commas and full-stops. I still don't know where semicolons should be placed. xD

Well, in Sweden it's supposed to be used as something between a comma and a period.
Basically, if a comma feels too "weak" and a period feels too "strong", by all means, use the semicolon!

English guys also seem to use it when they want to proceed with a sentence, but still stress a pause.

"I checked the forum the other day; it was full of new posts."

Yes, I read in the back of my English/Arabic dectionary which has a full explanation about semicolons, commas and fullstops. It says that when one sentance is devided into two parts but these two parts are related to each other then we use semicolon between them, correct?.

Yes, exactly.
It's also worth noting that semicolons are VERY common in some English classic literature; conjunctions like "and" and "but" are usually preceded by semicolons.

[Owen Macwere]

Yes, but the semicolons are harder to use than commas and full-stops. I still don't know where semicolons should be placed. xD

Well, in Sweden it's supposed to be used as something between a comma and a period.
Basically, if a comma feels too "weak" and a period feels too "strong", by all means, use the semicolon!

English guys also seem to use it when they want to proceed with a sentence, but still stress a pause.

"I checked the forum the other day; it was full of new posts."

Yes, I read in the back of my English/Arabic dectionary which has a full explanation about semicolons, commas and fullstops. It says that when one sentance is devided into two parts but these two parts are related to each other then we use semicolon between them, correct?.

Yes, exactly.
It's also worth noting that semicolons are VERY common in some English classic literature; conjunctions like "and" and "but" are usually preceded by semicolons.

I see. I think I love english more and more everyday. It is an open sea of knowledge.

[Peter_20]

Yeah, English is said to have the highest collection of words in the world, so there's indeed still some stuff to discover.

...and let's not forget the differences between English and American: I think English words like "closet" and "sweets" are called "wardrobe" and "candy" in America.

[Owen Macwere]

Yes, like they spell 'color' in English and 'colour' in America.
I think that the English in England is the proper one.

[Peter_20]

Yes, like they spell 'color' in English and 'colour' in America.
I think that the English in England is the proper one.

I'm doing my best to separate English from American, but I fail.

[Owen Macwere]

May I ask how did you learn English?.

[Little Blue]

Yes, like they spell 'colour' in English and 'color' in America.
I think that the English in England is the proper one.

Fixed

I speak english as my mother tongue, but I would bet that a good deal of people with english as their second language have better use of the language than I. I sometimes get confused by perfectly good and correct sentences...

[crono_logical]

Doesn't this have three forms?:

1)I hope you don't mind ME saying....
2)I hope you don't mind MY saying...
3)I hope you don't mind THAT I'M saying...

I think all three of these can be used and are correct.

I tend to use number 1 out of those three forms The second one, although understandable, sounds the strangest to me for some reason

[Peter_20]

May I ask how did you learn English?.

I learned it at school at first, but then I stopped altogether and became self-learned in the rest.
Why?

[fire_of_avalon]

Yes, but the semicolons are harder to use than commas and full-stops. I still don't know where semicolons should be placed. xD

A semicolon should be placed in a sentence with two clauses relating to the same subject where a conjunction is not used. Example:

"The teapot has a crack in it. The teapot was cracked when it was dropped."

Using a semicolon, we can say:

"The teapot has a crack; it was dropped."

to simplify the sentence. Though not as clear as the two sentences alone, the compound sentence gets to the point directly.

At least I think that's how it works. xD

As to your question, Peter, I'm not sure if the use of the possessive is correct or incorrect in that instance. I'll ask my news writing instructor tomorrow.

[Owen Macwere]

May I ask how did you learn English?.

I learned it at school at first, but then I stopped altogether and became self-learned in the rest.
Why?

Nothing. Just curious. I learned english the same way.

[Breine]

I'd say it like this: " I hope you don't mind me saying so...". I don't know why, but that's what my so-called English abilities tell me.

I don't know the reason why, but maybe it has something to do with the differences between English and American..? - I'm clearly just guessing here.

[Captain Maxx Power]

There's debate to this day within English scholar types as to when semi-colons should be used. Usually compound statements are the most used, although some atest that you can use them to start lists rather than a standard colon. Others want to phase it out completely. Personally I imagine it to work somewhere between a full stop and an apostrophe; when you're saying something related to the sentance, but need a suitable stop-gap to show your intentions of it standing as a singular statement.

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

Yes, but the semicolons are harder to use than commas and full-stops. I still don't know where semicolons should be placed. xD

A semicolon should be placed in a sentence with two clauses relating to the same subject where a conjunction is not used. Example:

"The teapot has a crack in it. The teapot was cracked when it was dropped."

Using a semicolon, we can say:

"The teapot has a crack; it was dropped."

to simplify the sentence. Though not as clear as the two sentences alone, the compound sentence gets to the point directly.

At least I think that's how it works. xD

As to your question, Peter, I'm not sure if the use of the possessive is correct or incorrect in that instance. I'll ask my news writing instructor tomorrow.

foa forgot to say that both clauses have to be independent clauses, which are clauses that can be complete sentences on their own; these differ from subordinate clauses which cannot stand on their own by virtue of not being a complete sentence.

[Raistlin]

And you use semicolons in a series to avoid confusing them with commas within individual parts of a series. Well, the actual text book reason may be different than that, but that's my rational.

For example: "Today, I have to: go to the store and buy coffee; help my friend, Josh, with his project; etc."