Semicolons Explained: 3 Ways to Use a Semicolon

A semicolon is a punctuation mark that is most commonly used to join two related independent clauses without using a coordinating conjunction or comma. A semicolon looks like a period hovering above a comma. It's useful for creating a smooth connection between two related ideas instead of using a period, which creates a full stop. It also helps you avoid committing a comma splice—a grammatical error where two independent clauses are separated by a comma. You can use a semicolon in place of a comma, hyphen, em dash, or parentheses to connect two complete thoughts that express related ideas.

Semicolons come in handy in a few different scenarios.

1. 1. Use a semicolon to connect related independent clauses. An independent clause is a sentence that communicates a complete thought and makes sense on its own. To connect two independent clauses that express related ideas, place the semicolon between the first independent clause and the second independent clause—no conjunction necessary. (Conjunctions are connective words like "and," "but," and "or.”)
2. 2. Use a semicolon with a conjunctive adverb or transitional phrase. Conjunctive adverbs include words like "moreover," "nevertheless," "however," "therefore," and "finally." Transitional phrases or expressions include "such as," "in fact," and "as a result." Semicolons can precede conjunctive adverbs and transitional expressions so long as they're joining two independent clauses.
3. 3. Use semicolons to separate items in a list. This comes in handy when the list items are lengthy or contain internal punctuation. Sometimes this use of a semicolon is referred to as a "super-comma" for its powerful ability to separate sentences. When using semicolons like this, be mindful of capitalization. Unless the first word of the following clause is a proper noun, you can keep the words following semicolons lowercase.

The semicolon has many practical uses. If you're wondering whether or not your writing needs a semicolon, consider the following examples.

1. 1. To connect related independent clauses: "I ordered another coffee; caffeine always puts me in a better mood."
2. 2. In place of a conjunction between independent clauses: "I need a quiet place to sit and think; I need fresh air to clear my mind."
3. 3. With a conjunctive adverb or transitional phrase: "The employees were encouraged to eat their lunch in the break room; however, John ate at his desk to catch up on some work." "Tyler finished all the math problems in thirty minutes; as a result, he got to leave class early."
   
4. 4. To separate items in a list that contain commas: "We traveled to New York, New York; Paris, France; Vienna, Austria; Venice, Italy; and Berlin, Germany." "The menu featured cocktails with tequila, vodka, or whiskey; entrees centered around meat, seafood, or vegetables; and two desserts, which we could order with or without ice cream.”

Although there are rare cases where either can be used, colons and semicolons differ significantly.

• Colons help introduce new information. The primary use of the colon is to introduce new information such as a quote, list, or example. Colons signal that something is coming, while semicolons connect related ideas.
• Semicolons connect two complete sentences. Semicolons can connect two related, independent clauses. Colons typically connect dependent clauses (incomplete sentences), though there are rare cases where a colon can join two independent clauses for the purpose of emphasizing the second clause.
• Colons have many practical applications. You may use a colon to set off a book’s subtitle (Outliers: The Story of Success), express a numerical ratio (1:1), and communicate a time (4:30 p.m.). Semicolons do not have these practical uses.
• Semicolons help organize complex lists. As explained above, semicolons can provide clarity when individual items in a list use commas or other punctuation. Colons can only set off a simple list of items. For example, “I need to get these ingredients from the store: apples, eggs, milk, and butter.”

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