If you look through the SML definition [0] you'll see there is a semantics for declarations separated by ; specifically. It's nothing much more than sequential

If you look through the SML definition [0] you'll see there is a semantics for declarations separated by ; specifically. It's nothing much more than sequential operation. If you had CBN then sequential effects wouldn't be, but you can define that order explicitly in CBV. [0] http://sml-family.org/sml97-defn.pdf http://sml-family.org/sml97-defn.pdf