Excellent Semicolon Use

A transitional phrase will usually start a new sentence, but if you would like a smoother transition than that afforded by a full stop / period, you can use a semicolon before a transitional phrase to merge the new sentence with the previous one.Semicolons are tricky little bastards. They're like mint; sometimes they come up in sweet dishes, sometimes they come up in savory dishes. There are really only a few simple rules to follow, so pay attention here:


A semicolon may be used between independent clauses joined by a connector, such as and, but, or, nor, etc., when one or more commas appear in the first clause.
Example: When I finish here, and I will soon, I'll be glad to help you; and that is a promise I will keep.

Use a semicolon before such words and terms as namely, however, therefore, that is, i.e., for example, e.g., for instance, etc., when they introduce a complete sentence. It is also preferable to use a comma after these words and terms.
Example: The defensive tilt in their portfolio; however, should have less drawdown than the sector ETFs and this might mitigate a portion of this drawback.

The moral of the story? Don't believe everything you read on the internet Taylor.