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。

The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel.

You don't write because you want to say something; you write because you've got something to say.

In the past, boy babies were often dressed in blue; girls, in pink.

Can't you see it's no good to go on alone; we'll starve to death if we keep traveling this way much longer.

John F. Kennedy said at his inaugural speech, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

Our power to apprehend truth is limited; to seek it, limitless.

Science needs to be lived alongside religion, philosophy, history and esthetic experience; alone it can lead to great harm.

下列各词和短语如用于连接复合句时，常与分号连用：

then however thus furthermore

hence indeed consequently also

that is nevertheless anyhow in addition

in fact on the other hand likewise moreover

still meanwhile instead besides

otherwise in other words henceforth for example

therefore at the same time even now

例：

Being clever and cynical, he succeeded in becoming president of the company; meanwhile his wife left him.

The weather was cold for that time of the year; nevertheless, we set out to hike to the top of that mountain.

According to one national survey, high school boys expected a starting salary of $19,500 for their first full-time job; on the other hand, high school girls expected a starting salary of only $15,000.