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. . . COLONS AND SEMICOLONS
Speaking Solutions In This Lesson...
A. Use
a Semicolon to Join Two Related Sentences
B. Use
a Semicolon When a Conjunctive Adverb Connects Two Sentences.
C. Use
a Semicolon at the End of Each Element in a Series
D. Use a Colon to Introduce a Series of Items, a
Statement, a Quotation, or a Summary
Take a
serious look at two marks of punctuation that are often confused even
though they function differently: the semicolon (;) and the colon (:).
Correct and train your errors as you go and repeat
each sentence that needed correcting.
Then, save your file as Colon.
A. Use a Semicolon to Join
Two Related Sentences
1. A semicolon is used to join
two related sentences, showing a close relationship between them. Try this:
I
returned to the party; I didn’t want to appear upset.
The business plan was powerful; it showed the team’s expertise.
The heart is a major organ; it pumps the blood.
B. Use a Semicolon when a
Conjunctive Adverb Connects Two Sentences.
1. A semicolon is used when a
conjunctive adverb (nevertheless, moreover, however, thus) connects
two sentences. If you use a comma rather than a semicolon before a
conjunctive adverb, you commit an error known as a comma splice. Consider these sentences:
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Correct
Usage:
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I wanted
a new car; nevertheless, I couldn’t
afford it.
We ate on the porch;
however, the bugs were
bothersome.
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Incorrect Usage:
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I wanted a new car, nevertheless, I couldn’t afford it.
We ate on the porch, however,
the bugs were bothersome.
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Try this:
I wanted a new car;
nevertheless, I couldn’t afford it.
We ate on the porch; however, the bugs were bothersome.
2. To express more distance between two ideas, separate them into
two sentences. Try this:
I wanted a new mountain
bike. Nevertheless, I couldn’t afford it.
We ate on the porch. However, the bugs were bothersome.
FYI: Don’t confuse
conjunctive adverbs with subordinating conjunctions (because, after, since). Remember placing a subordinating
conjunction at the beginning of a sentence makes it a dependent clause.
Standing alone, such a clause is a sentence fragment.
C. Use a Semicolon at the
End of Each Element in a Series
1. To avoid
confusion, use a semicolon at the end of each element in a series. You will
do this most often with a sentence having many commas. Try the following examples:
He
wanted the following: a horse, a cart, a driver, and a barn.
Ms.
Tomas introduced Mr. Wilson, Ms. Roberts, Mrs. Perez, and Mr. Brown.
2. In
these examples, each of the items is clear and can easily be separated by a
comma. If, however, an item is composed of multiple words that already
have commas—for example, “bacon, lettuce, and tomato
sandwich”—semicolons would be
needed to make the meaning of
the sentence clear. Using only commas would be confusing because readers
wouldn’t know where some items begin and end. Consider the following
examples:
He
wanted the following: a horse, you know the kind, an animal with a bold
look; a cart, the type only the rich folks drive; a driver; and a large
barn.
Ms. Tomas introduced Mr. Wilson, the past president; Ms. Roberts,
representing the Budget Committee; Mrs. Perez, from the Accounting
Department; and Mr. Brown, the guest speaker.
D. Use a Colon to Introduce a Series of Items, a Statement, a
Quotation, or a Summary
1. A colon introduces a series of items, a statement, a quotation, or
a summary. A colon says, “Here it is” (or “Here they are”). It indicates
that something closely related follows—usually a detailed list. Try these examples:
Each
classmate should bring the following food items: cookies, soft drinks,
chips, and dips.
She is a troubled girl: she has a serious chemical dependency and is a
vagrant.
Please complete these chores by Friday: (1) clean the driveway, (2) sweep
the garage, (3) water the flowers, and (4) clean your room!
Lincoln addressed the crowd: “Fourscore and seven years ago…”
THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK . . .
Read these sentences in your mind and
determine where colons or semicolons should be placed. Then say the sentence. Add these questions to your answers
to the bottom of your Colon file. You may need to train some words, names and
phrases as you go along.
The girl was cute
she wore a red bow.
He wanted the
following items pencils, pens, paper, and tape.
Walk slowly to
the front however, remember not to trip.
He had a hard
life he fell in with a bad crowd.
He said the
following statement “It’s better to serve than run.”
“He needs these
items now for the camping trip a large sled, the type used in the Yukon a
lot of firewood to burn a sleeping bag some blankets a flashlight, with
extended-life batteries and a good attitude.”
He was very
thirsty thus, he wanted a soft drink.
He said the
following words “These are the times that try men’s souls.”
Betty had on a
gray suit she had shoes to match.
Mr. Jones
said the following “I want well-written business plans I want them tuned
and polished.”
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