分号有时又称为小句号.它表示一个停顿,其停顿时间在逗号与冒号的停顿时间之间.文章如采用许多分号,其风格则变得严肃、正式.为了正确使用分号,有必要先学会辨认主句.当两个主句没有任何连接词（and,but,or,nor,for）连接而出现在同一个句子里,这时最好采用分号使之分离.分号的主要作用很简单,它常用于分离没有连接词连接的句子.但最好不要在从句之间形成如此之强的停顿.如果你要连接从句,而又不愿意用连接词时,则采用分号.

　　Theworldisacomedytothosethatthink;atragedytothosethatfeel.

　　Youdon'twritebecauseyouwanttosaysomething;youwritebecauseyou'vegotsomethingtosay.

　　Inthepast,boybabieswereoftendressedinblue;girls,inpink.

　　Can'tyouseeit'snogoodtogoonalone;we'llstarvetodeathifwekeeptravelingthiswaymuchlonger.

　　JohnF.Kennedysaidathisinauguralspeech,"Asknotwhatyourcountrycandoforyou;askwhatyoucandoforyourcountry."

　　Ourpowertoapprehendtruthislimited;toseekit,limitless.

　　Scienceneedstobelivedalongsidereligion,philosophy,historyandestheticexperience;aloneitcanleadtogreatharm.

　　下列各词和短语如用于连接复合句时,常与分号连用：

　　thenhoweverthusfurthermore

　　henceindeedconsequentlyalso

　　thatisneverthelessanyhowinaddition

　　infactontheotherhandlikewisemoreover

　　stillmeanwhileinsteadbesides

　　otherwiseinotherwordshenceforthforexample

　　thereforeatthesametimeevennow

　　例：

　　Beingcleverandcynical,hesucceededinbecomingpresidentofthecompany;meanwhilehiswifelefthim.

　　Theweatherwascoldforthattimeoftheyear;nevertheless,wesetouttohiketothetopofthatmountain.

　　Accordingtoonenationalsurvey,highschoolboysexpectedastartingsalaryof$19,500fortheirfirstfull-timejob;ontheotherhand,highschoolgirlsexpectedastartingsalaryofonly$15,000.