No! Not those kinds of clauses!I am often mentioning independent and dependent clauses when I discuss writing, especially when talking about sentence structure.What is the difference between an independent clause and a dependent clause?One way to think of these clauses is to relate the words independent and dependent to something more familiar.An independent person is someone who can manage his or her own affairs without much assistance. (Hey, we all need help once in a while.)A dependent person...

Do not underestimate the importance of accurate punctuation.  It can make a world of difference in your writing.Yes, I know that I said this in my blog on comma usage, but it still applies. Sometimes a comma just does not work. The semicolon is often thought of as a larger break.  While not entirely or always the case, it is a good way to think of it in general.This blog contains a few pointers about the use of a semicolon (and a bit more about commas as necessary) to help you get...