A semi colon is used to link 2 related clauses, before a conjunctive adverb or transitional phrase connecting 2 clauses, and separating items on a list that also contains commas
Explanation:
A semi colon ";" is a punctuation mark with 3 functions; it is used:
<u>To link 2 complete and independent clauses that are related.</u> Example: Kate loves attending ballet class; when she dances, she feels like a butterfly.
<u>Before a conjunctive adverb or transitional phrase that is connecting two complete and independent clauses.</u> Example: Susan has never enjoyed playing sports; nevertheless, she never misses an NFL game on TV.
To separate items in a list that also contains commas. Example: Children usually like eating ice cream with different topping combinations such as: caramel, nuts and chocolate chips; strawberries, marshmallows and pecans; and coconut, brownie bites and whipped cream.
When reading, semicolons indicate a pause moderately longer than that of a comma, but shorter than that of a period.
A time that I often use acronyms is PEMDAS for math. PEMDAS stands for Parentheses Exponents Multiply Divide Add Subtract. This particular acronym is used for simplifying expressions with 2 or more operations. This was a very useful technique because it really stuck in the brain and helped me remember which order to simplify the expression.
