Final answer:
A semicolon is not used to separate an absolute phrase from the rest of the sentence; commas, dashes, and parentheses are the correct punctuation marks for that purpose.
Step-by-step explanation:
The punctuation mark that is not used to separate an absolute phrase from the rest of the sentence is a semicolon. A semicolon is typically used to join two independent clauses or to separate items in a complex list. In contrast, commas, dashes, and parentheses can be used to set off nonessential information or an absolute phrase within a sentence.
Commas provide the least emphasis, dashes provide additional emphasis, and parentheses downplay the content they enclose. Example of using a dash: The car, its engine roaring to life—a sound that brought back memories. Example of using parentheses: The car, its engine roaring to life (a sound that brought back memories). Example of using a comma: The car, its engine roaring to life, was a sound that brought back memories.