Semicolon
1)Use a semicolon between two closely related independent clauses. Grammar Girl gives this example: “I have a big test tomorrow; I can’t go out tonight.”
2)Place semicolons in sentences with complex lists. Grammar Girl gives this example: “This week’s winners are Joe from Reno, Nevada; Diane from Phoenix, Arizona; and Matt from Irvine, California.”
Comma
1)Use a comma to separate two independent clauses joined by a conjunction. Independent clauses are those that can stand alone as sentences if they had to — meaning they contain at least a subject and a verb. The Purdue University Online Writing Lab offers this example: “I am going home, and I intend to stay there.”
2)Insert commas between lists of three or more. For example: “She will split the money between her sister, brother and daughter.” Some grammarians choose to add a second comma before the word “and” in sentences such as this one, but using that comma has become a matter of preference rather than an hard-and-fast rule
Read more: How to Use the Comma and Semicolon Correctly | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2181282_use-comma-semicolon-correctly.html#ixzz2AlSrZAcJ
Tawaina, Thank you for posting this. I think it will be very helpful to everyone in the class. Please note that an “independent clause” is a synonym for a complete sentence. Therefore, semicolons, when not used in a list, semicolons function in the same way as periods.