1. A semicolon introduces an elaboration or explanation of what has come before it.

2. A colon can only link two complete sentences, or independent clauses.

3. Use a colon when the information in one section explains the other section.

4. Most of the time, the word and is preceded by a comma, not a semicolon, when it is used to connect two independent clauses.

5. Semicolons join two complete sentences that are totally unrelated.