When should you use a semicolon instead of a period?

Punctuation Questions Medium

When should you use a semicolon instead of a period?

A semicolon should be used instead of a period when you want to connect two closely related independent clauses that could stand alone as separate sentences but are better understood when presented together. It indicates a stronger connection between the two clauses compared to using a period. Additionally, a semicolon can be used to separate items in a list when the items themselves contain commas.