1. O Ponto & Vírgula separa duas orações relacionadas.
Veja dois exemplos:
• Those who drink more than six cups of coffee a day were at lower risk for diabetes than nondrinkers; the figure for those who drink less than a cup per day is just 4 percent.
• Without the document of 1787, there would have been no United States; with it, the conflict over slavery as the nation expanded became inevitable . . .
2. O Ponto & Vírgula separa itens de uma lista que contem vírgulas internas.
Veja:
• Mr. Moon filed suit on Sept. 17, naming Dr. Roberts; Paul Cheever, the chairman of the company and a former president; and the Collins trustees as defendants.
3. Um Ponto & Vírgula pode ser usado para produzir uma pausa mais forte que uma vírgula.
Esse Ponto & Vírgula tem sempre conjunções após, geralmente but.
Exemplos:
• Yes, he had legislative victories; but he didn’t show that Congress can make hard choices, because he never asked it to.
