A semicolon is typically used in the following contexts:
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To separate two independent clauses: Use a semicolon to connect two complete sentences that are closely related in thought, particularly when they are not joined by a coordinating conjunction (like "and" or "but"). For example:
- "I have a big exam tomorrow; I can’t go out tonight."
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To separate items in a complex list: When the items in a list already contain commas, use semicolons to separate them for clarity. For example:
- "On our trip, we visited Paris, France; Rome, Italy; and Berlin, Germany."
Regarding your other points:
- A semicolon is not used to show dialogue words borrowed from a source or a title. Typically, quotation marks are used for that purpose.
- A semicolon is also not used to indicate a small break between independent and dependent clauses. Instead, a comma is usually more appropriate for that purpose.
In summary, semicolons are best used to connect closely related independent clauses or to clarify complex lists.