When to use the Semicolon

1. The semicolon is a useful piece of punctuation; it can be used for combining two related sentences into one.

By using the semicolon, you can give your writing a greater fluidity and maturity. It is worth bearing in mind, however, that it is best not to overdo the use of the semi colon; the semicolon can often be used for best effect at the end of a paragraph.

2. The semicolon can also be used to separate lists of internal punctuation.

There are several places worth visiting in the world; Buckingham Palace, England; Taj Mahal, India; and the great pyramids, Egypt.

Example of semicolon:

Take two sentences.

(1) Writing in English is difficult. (2) There are many different rules for spelling and punctuation.

These two sentences could be combined into:

Writing in English is difficult; there are many different rules for spelling and punctuation.

The semicolon came into popular use in the sixteenth century; for example, semicolons can be seen in the sonnets of Shakespeare.

See also:

When to use Commas

Using the semicolon