Colons and Semicolons

State Standard

Ninth and Tenth Grade Reading and Language Arts Standards for Written and Oral Language Conventions

1.1 Identify and correctly use...mechanics of punctuation (e.g., semicolons, colons, ellipses, hyphens).

Colons

Rule 1: Use a colon to mean “note what follows.”

Colons

Rule 1: Use a colon to mean “note what follows.”

a) Use a colon before a list of items, especially after expressions such as the following or as follows.

Colons

Rule 1: Use a colon to mean “note what follows.”

a) Use a colon before a list of items, especially after expressions such as the following or as follows.

Example—In Washington, D.C., we visited four important

national sites: the White House, the Washington Monument, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial.

Colons

Rule 1: Use a colon to mean “note what follows.”

b) Use a colon before a long formal statement or quotation.

Colons

b) Use a colon before a long formal statement or quotation.

Example –Thomas Paine’s first pamphlet in the series The

American Crisis starts with these famous words: “These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country;…”

Colons

Rule 2: Use a colon before a statement that explains or clarifies the preceding statement.

Colons

Rule 2: Use a colon before a statement that explains or clarifies the preceding statement.

Example –He deserves a raise: He completed the project

on schedule and under budget.

Colons

Rule 2: Use a colon before a statement that explains or clarifies the preceding statement.

Example –He deserves a raise: He completed the project

on schedule and under budget.[Note that when an independent clause follows

a colon, the clause begins with a capital letter.]

Colons

Rule 3: Use a colon in certain convention situations.

Colons

Rule 3: Use a colon in certain convention situations.

a) Use a colon between the hour and minute in a time notation.

Colons

Rule 3: Use a colon in certain convention situations.

a)Use a colon between the hour and minute in a time notation.

Example – School finishes at 3:15.

Colons

Rule 3: Use a colon in certain convention situations.

b) Use a colon between chapter and verse in Biblical references.

Colons

Rule 3: Use a colon in certain convention situations.

b) Use a colon between chapter and verse in Biblical references.

Example – This morning I read Exodus 17:19.

Colons

Rule 3: Use a colon in certain convention situations.

c) Use a colon between a title and a subtitle.

Colons

Rule 3: Use a colon in certain convention situations.

c) Use a colon between a title and a subtitle.Example – Slaughter House Five: The Children’s Crusade [book by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.]

Colons

Rule 3: Use a colon in certain convention situations.

d) Use a colon after a salutation in a business letter.

Colons

Rule 3: Use a colon in certain convention situations.

d) Use a colon after a salutation in a business letter.

Example – Dear Sir or Madam:

Semicolons

Rule 1: Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses that are closely related.

Semicolons

Rule 1: Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses that are closely related.

Remember, an independent clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a predicate and can stand alone as sentence.

Semicolons

Rule 1: Use a semicolon to join two independent clauses that are closely related.

Example:Tim went to buy tickets for the game; he stood

in line for several hours.

Semicolons

Rule 2: Use a semicolon before conjunctive adverbs such as however, therefore, thus, or nevertheless when they are joining independent clauses. Usually a comma goes after the conjunctive adverb.

Semicolons

Rule 2: Use a semicolon before conjunctive adverbs such as however, therefore, thus, or nevertheless when they are joining independent clauses. Usually a comma goes after the conjunctive adverb.

Example:I like French fries; however, they are not on my

diet.

Semicolons

Rule 3: Use a semicolon before a transition expressions such as for example, in other words, in conclusion or in fact when they are joining two independent clauses. Usually a comma follows the transitional expression.

Semicolons

Rule 3: Use a semicolon before a transition expressions such as for example, in other words, in conclusion or in fact when they are joining two independent clauses. Usually a comma follows the transitional expression.

Example:The artists find inspiration for their creations in

everyday life; for example, religion and nature are rich sources of ideas.

Semicolons

Rule 4: Use semicolons between items in a series if the items contain commas.

Semicolons

Rule 4: Use semicolons between items in a series if the items contain commas.

Example –You may turn in your books reports on

Thursday, September 14th; Friday, September 15th; or Monday, September 18th.