There are several cases where semicolons may be used:
1) Use a semicolon between closely related independent clauses not joined by a coordinating conjunction: “I went to the pool; I was informed that it was closed due to scheduled maintenance.”
2) Use a semicolon between independent clauses linked with a transitional phrase or conjunctive adverb: “I like to eat cows; however, they don’t like to be eaten by me.”
3) Use a semicolon between items in a series containing internal punctuation: “There are several Waffle Houses in Atlanta, Georgia; Greenville, South Carolina; Gainesville, Florida; and Mobile, Alabama.”
4) A semicolon can be used to separate independent clauses that are joined by coordinating conjunctions when the clauses have internal commas that might lead to misreading: “After the game, I won a red beanie baby, four edible ingots, and a certificate of excellence; but when the storm came, I lost it all in a torrent of sleet, snow, and profanity.
If you’re like me, this is somewhat revelatory. I was attempting to use one in an email, and figured it was finally time I confirmed how they’re used properly: Semicolon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
