There are two ways to use a semicolon in English:

1. To join two sentences that are connected, but independent.
2. To separate things in a list.

Connecting Ideas

There are two ways you can use a semicolon to join ideas. The two sentences should be part of one idea. Each sentence should be complete and independent:

1. You can join two sentences, and include a word to join them together, like: "however" or "therefore" etc. You can also use a word to make a transition, like: "in fact" or "on the other hand" etc.
2. You can join two sentences with a semicolon, without a word to join them.

Here are some examples of each case:

With a joining word

• "She went to the store to buy milk; however, they had none."
• "He studied English for several years; therefore, he knows all about grammar."
• "The singer won't be coming to Japan; in fact, she cancelled her whole tour."

Without a joining word

• "She went to the store to buy milk; they had none."
• "He studied English for several years; he knows all about grammar."
• "The singer won't be coming to Japan; she cancelled her whole tour."

Making a List

When you make a list, you should use a semicolon to separate each thing on the list. Here are some examples:

• "You need several things to make a cake: milk; eggs; flour; butter; and sugar."
• "The tour will go to many cities in Asia: Tokyo, Japan; Beijing, China; Bangkok, Thailand; and Singapore."

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When you use a semicolon, please remember these points:

• A semicolon is stronger than a comma;
• A semicolon is weaker than a full stop (period);
• Semicolons are difficult to use for native speakers too!