Learn English – The right time to use semi-colon

semicolon

Below is an example of how I normally use semi-colon in sentences and I truly do not know if it's correct.

Open the gate; let the dogs out, then close the gate.

Best Answer

A semi-colon is used in two circumstances: to join two sentences together into a single sentence, or to delimit a list whose items contain commas. In the first case, anywhere you could use a comma and conjunction would be fine to use a semi-colon instead.

Last night the lights went out in the storm; I stubbed my toe badly in the dark.

In the second case, the semi-colon simply replaces the comma when the list items have commas themselves. For example:

My last tour took me to three state capitols: Albany, NY; Hartford, CT; and Boston, MA.
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