1. To Join Independent Clauses:
* Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses that are closely related in meaning.
* Example: The rain poured; the wind howled.
2. With Conjunctive Adverbs:
* When a conjunctive adverb (like however, therefore, moreover, etc.) joins two independent clauses, a semicolon is used before the conjunctive adverb and a comma follows it.
* Example: The movie was long; however, it was very entertaining.
3. In a Series with Internal Punctuation:
* Use semicolons to separate items in a series when those items themselves contain commas.
* Example: The team consisted of John, the manager; Sarah, the accountant; and David, the marketing specialist.
4. To Prevent Misreading:
* Use a semicolon to clarify the meaning of a sentence when there's a risk of ambiguity.
* Example: He bought a new car, a red one; the old one was totaled. (The semicolon clarifies that "the old one" refers to the car, not the color.)
5. In Formal Writing:
* Semicolons are more common in formal writing styles, such as academic papers and essays.
Important Note: Be careful not to overuse semicolons. They should be used sparingly and strategically to enhance clarity and emphasis.