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Step 1
Use a semicolon to join together two complete sentences. If you have two complete sentences that you want to keep together because they are closely related, use a semicolon to avoid having a run-on sentence. For example:The school district revised its reading curriculum in order to accommodate more learning styles and learning needs; as a result, teachers in the district report increased student interest in reading.Notice that on each side of the semicolon is a complete sentence.
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Step 2
Use a semicolon to separate items in a list when the items are long and potentially complex in meaning. In this usage, the semicolon replaces the comma that usually separates items in a list. This is because a semicolon is more noticeable and thus better suited for longer items. For example:The student council advisor felt it was important for each new member to learn the procedures for running meetings; to share past experiences working in team environments; and to outline individual goals for the year.
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Step 3
Use a semicolon to separate items in a list when items contain additional punctuations. This usage is similar to the previous one. In this one, you use semicolons in a list when an individual item in the list has commas of its own. This is done simply to prevent confusion. For example:Students were instructed to bring two spiral notebooks; one-inch, two-inch, and three-inch binders; and mechanical pencils.
