Sep 9, 2025 · Semicolons (;) separate independent clauses that are related in meaning, and they separate items in a list when those items themselves are long or include commas. For example, this …

A semicolon (;) indicates an audible pause and can replace a period if the writer wishes to narrow the gap between two closely linked sentences.

Semicolon ... The semicolon ; (or semi-colon[1]) is a symbol commonly used as orthographic punctuation. In the English language, a semicolon is most commonly used to link (in a single …

Dec 5, 2024 · A semicolon is a punctuation mark (;) used to connect closely two related independent clauses in a single sentence when discussing the same topic or contrasting two similar ideas.

Do you avoid using a semicolon when writing because you aren’t sure how it should be used? Take a look at why you shouldn’t avoid it and how to add it to your writing.

Here is where the semicolon can help. The commas between items can be “bumped up” a notch and turned into semicolons, so that readers can easily tell how many items are in the list and which words …

Most commonly, the semicolon is used between two independent clauses (i.e., clauses that could stand alone as separate sentences) when a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so) is omitted.

Think of a semicolon as being like balancing scales. Both sides of the scale must be a main clause or a full sentence on their own. Don't use a semicolon instead of a comma to join a...

Semicolons can be used in lists to outrank any commas that appear in list items. That's less complicated than it sounds. In a normal list, the list items are separated by commas. However, sometimes the list …

A semicolon joins two independent thoughts that are closely related. A semicolon is only used to join sentences when the independent clauses are of equal importance, length, and weight.