The effects of inorganic salts and ionic liquids on the vapor-liquid equilibrium for binary mixtures are evaluated by using the approach of semi-regular diagrams (SRD). This procedure provides a novel and simplified schematic description of these phenomena. In the semi-regular model, the dissolved salt affects both average energy of intermolecular interactions and thermodynamic standard-state of the species in solution. Thereby, in the SRD it can be observed that the mixture is creeping from one state to another through trajectories that depend on the nature of the electrolytes dissolved. "Salting-in" and "salting-out" effects are displayed more easily in this schematic form. More important, this methodology allows a qualitative interpretation of the ability of inorganic salts or ionic liquids to shift or break azeotropic points without using the concept of relative volatility. Finally, by employing the SRD it was possible to detect a new effect caused by the addition of salt which we have called as the breakdown of state. This last behavior was observed in acetone-methanol mixture at low concentrations of CaBr2. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.