 SEMICOLONS
A SEMICOLON is an economical way to JOIN TWO SENTENCES so that your reader sees the RELATIONSHIP between the ideas in them.
In a way, using a semi-colon is like marriage. When the content of two complete and independent sentences is so closely related that it should be in the same sentence, you “marry” the sentences with a semi-colon.
Before using a semi-colon, though, be certain you are connecting two complete sentences that could stand on their own.
Example 1:
Jim is a good typist. He makes few mistakes.
The content of these two complete sentences is so closely related they can be joined (“married”) by a semicolon.
Jim is a good typist ; he makes few mistakes.
Below is another example of a semi-colon joining two complete sentences because the ideas in them are so closely related to each other.
Example 2:
The AFC Corporation is an excellent company to invest in. Its investments have risen sharply and steadily over each of the last ten years.
The AFC Corporation is an excellent company to invest in ; its investments have risen sharply and steadily over each of the last ten years.
The important point to remember is that you must have COMPLETE SENTENCES on BOTH SIDES of the semicolon.
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