1.與中文一樣,分號用于分隔地位平等的獨立子句.在某些情況下,使用分號比使用句點更顯出子句之間的緊密聯(lián)系,另外分號也經(jīng)常與連接副詞 thus,however,therefore一起使用(放在這些詞語之前).如 I realize I need exercise; however,I’ll lie down first to think about it.
2.在句子中如果已經(jīng)使用過逗點,為了避免歧義的產(chǎn)生,就用分號來分隔相似的內(nèi)容.如 The employees were Tom Hanks,the manager; Jim White,the engineer; and Dr.Jack Lee.
需要注意的是：一個完整的句子以大寫字母開始,以句點結(jié)束.寫英文時用逗點代替句點、分號、冒號或破折號叫“逗號錯”,這正是中國學生所要避免的.請比較下列例句：
誤：It was raining hard,they could not work in the fields.
（注意：上面句子中劃橫線的部分是兩個不同的主語,而且逗點前后的句子是完整的-----單獨拿出來都能代表一個完整的意思.因此,用逗號違反了英文規(guī)定,即一個句子只能有一套主干.）
正：It was raining hard; they could not work in the fields.
It was raining hard.They could not work in the fields.