Semicolons

A semicolon is a punctuation mark that serves as a middle ground between a comma and a period. It is used to link closely related independent clauses and to clarify complex lists.

Grammatically, a semicolon joins two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction, when the writer intends a stronger separation than a comma but a weaker break than a period. Example: The project is late; we must adjust the timeline. When used with transitional words such as however, therefore, or consequently, it appears after the semicolon and is followed by a comma: The project is late; however, we can still finish on time.

Semicolons also separate items in lists where items themselves contain commas, preventing ambiguity. Example: The speakers were Jane Doe, a software engineer; Richard Roe, a project manager; and Lin Wei, a designer.

Origin and typography: The semicolon name derives from its form—halfway between a comma and a colon—first used in the late 15th century. In modern typography, the semicolon is commonly treated as a useful device for clear written style and to reduce confusion in complex sentences or lists.

Computing use: In many programming languages, the semicolon terminates statements; in SQL, semicolons separate statements. Example in code: let x = 1 + 2; and in SQL: SELECT * FROM users; These uses reflect a different function from language to language, but the delimiter concept remains central.