A semicolon is used primarily in three ways:
-
To join two closely related independent clauses (complete sentences) that are not connected by a coordinating conjunction like "and" or "but." This joins the ideas more closely than a period would.
Example: "I do not like to eat chocolate; ice cream is my food of choice." -
To join independent clauses linked by a transitional word or phrase such as "however," "therefore," or "for example." In this case, the semicolon comes before the transition word, and a comma follows it.
Example: "I do not like to ride the bus; however, I ride it when I visit my sister." -
To separate items in a list when the items themselves contain commas or internal punctuation, helping avoid confusion.
Example: "Classic science fiction sagas are Star Trek, with Mr. Spock and his large pointed ears; Battlestar Galactica, with its Cylon Raiders; and Star Wars, with Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Darth Vader."
In essence, semicolons act as a stronger pause than a comma but not as final as a period, clarifying connections between related ideas or complex lists.
