How does a semicolon function in a list?

Question

-it joins the list to a sentence
-it separates items in a list
-it introduces the list
-it joins the list to a dependent clause

Answer 1

A semicolon primarily functions to separate items in a list, especially when those items themselves contain commas. This helps to clarify the list's structure and avoid confusion. For example:

In a conference, attendees might be from Paris, France; Berlin, Germany; London, England; and Madrid, Spain.

In this sentence, the semicolons help clearly separate each city-country pair, preventing confusion that could arise from using only commas.