Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon to join two independent clauses?

• A. She loves to read, she writes every night.
• B. She loves to read; she writes every night.
• C. She loves to read; therefore she writes every night.
• D. She loves to read and she writes every night.

Answer: (B)

Using a semicolon to join two independent clauses means you connect two complete thoughts that could each stand alone, showing they relate closely without using a coordinating conjunction like and, but, or, or so.

The best choice is the sentence that uses a semicolon to link two separate statements: “She loves to read; she writes every night.” Both parts could be sentences on their own, and the semicolon neatly ties them together, signaling their related ideas without adding extra words.

The other options don’t meet the specific requirement. Using just a comma between two independent clauses creates a comma splice, which is usually considered incorrect in formal writing. A sentence that uses a semicolon with a conjunctive adverb like “therefore” needs a comma after the adverb, as in “She loves to read; therefore, she writes every night.” Finally, a sentence that uses “and” to join the clauses doesn’t use a semicolon at all, so it doesn’t demonstrate semicolon usage.