• 規(guī)則1: 只有在兩個(gè)句子可以通過相似的內(nèi)容或結(jié)構(gòu)連接在一起時(shí)，才可以用分號(hào)代替句號(hào)。
• 規(guī)則2: 可以在諸如“however”、“therefore”等連接副詞前使用標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號(hào)。
• 規(guī)則3: 列表中使用分號(hào)，可以代替逗號(hào)用于分開單詞或者詞組。
• 規(guī)則4: 分號(hào)可以用來分隔兩個(gè)獨(dú)立的子句，而不是用于諸如and, but, or等連詞連接的子句。

當(dāng)然，分號(hào)最常見的用法是用來分隔系列中的項(xiàng)。注意:分號(hào)只在項(xiàng)目包含內(nèi)部標(biāo)點(diǎn)符號(hào)時(shí)輸入。其他情況主要是逗號(hào)。

連接兩個(gè)獨(dú)立的句子

我們可以用分號(hào)來分隔兩個(gè)主題或內(nèi)容密切相關(guān)的句子：

(1) Come to my office tomorrow; I will have the document prepared.

(2) Few newly enrolled students know exactly what career path their studies will eventually offer; most find their area of interest during their studies.

在這種情況下第二句不以大寫字母開頭，除非它是一個(gè)總是以大寫字母開頭的單詞。

連接由連接副詞引導(dǎo)的分句

我們可以在連接詞前用分號(hào)。

可以使用分號(hào)的連接詞包括：

also, anyway, besides, consequently, furthermore, hence, however, incidentally, indeed, moreover, nevertheless, next, nonetheless, otherwise, similarly, still, then, therefore, and thus

具體例子如下：

(3) The deadline for the assignment is due tomorrow; therefore, additional study time has been scheduled.

(4) Exams are a means of measuring ability; however, not everyone performs well in them.

我們也可以在連接短語前使用分號(hào)。

下面的短語就有這樣的連接功能：

after all, as a matter of fact, as a result, at the same time, even so, for example, for instance, in addition, in conclusion, in fact, in other words, in the first place, of course, on the contrary, and on the other hand.

具體例子如下：

(5) Exams are a means of measuring ability; as a result, not everyone performs well in them.

連接由逗號(hào)分隔的成分

如果沒有分號(hào)，這些被逗號(hào)隔開的成分相互之間的關(guān)系就會(huì)很模糊，容易引起費(fèi)解或誤解。如：

(7) There are many faculties at a university: Arts; Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences; Humanities; Environmental and Rural Science; Science and Technology; Business, Economics and Public Policy; Law; Education; and Rural Medicine and Health.

有些參考文獻(xiàn)系統(tǒng)，如Harvard，在引用多個(gè)條目時(shí)使用分號(hào)分隔文本內(nèi)引用。

(8) (Jones 2007; Johansson & Olofsson 1998; Strongman et al. 2003)

(9)On our vacation, we visited London, England; Paris, France; Berlin, Germany; and Rome, Italy.

上句話中的幾個(gè)地點(diǎn)因?yàn)橐脖欢禾?hào)隔開，表明大小地方的從屬關(guān)系，所以如果沒有分號(hào)隔開，地點(diǎn)之間的關(guān)系也會(huì)較為模糊。