Overview

• A recent study reveals semicolon usage in English writing has halved over the past 20 years, continuing a long-term downward trend.
• British students show low proficiency, with 67% rarely using semicolons and over half unable to apply them correctly.
• Critics, including Kurt Vonnegut, dismiss semicolons as pretentious, while advocates highlight their role in nuanced and connected prose.
• Historical data shows semicolon use peaked between 1800 and 2006 but has steadily declined despite a brief recovery by 2022.
• The findings have reignited debates on grammar education and the evolving role of punctuation in an era of digital communication and AI-generated text.