SEMICOLONS

SC: semicolons.

Use a semicolon to separate independent clauses too closely related for a period.

There are three common uses of semicolons. If your teacher marks “SC,” identify which rule applies to your writing.

1. A semicolon separates independent clauses (each with its own subject and verb). The semicolon tells readers to pause but to expect another statement that adds explanation:

COMMA SPLICE: Their losses grew too heavy, they had no choice but to surrender.

RIGHT: Their losses grew too heavy; they had no choice but to surrender.

2. Use a semicolon and a comma when a conjunctive adverb joins two clauses. Conjunctive adverbs are words like “however,” “therefore,” “nevertheless” or “moreover.” Here “however” modifies “I failed”:

WRONG (comma splice): I tried, however, I failed.

WRONG (fused sentence): I tried however, I failed.

RIGHT: I tried; however, I failed.

3. Semicolons separate parallel phrases which contain commas. The following sentence would be hard to follow if commas were substituted for the semicolons:

Considering his options on third down, the quarterback looked around the huddle at the left end, who could not catch a ball with a butterfly net; the right end, fat, slow and dim-witted; the slotback, who, after stealing his girl friend, had begun flirting with his sister; and the fullback, whom he suspected of breaking his skateboard; and decided to hand the ball off to skinny, clumsy, terrified me.

SCX: misuse of semicolon.

Independent clauses (each with a subject and verb) must come before and after the semicolon.

Either repunctuate or rephrase the sentence. In the incorrect example below, the part following the semicolon is a fragment.

WRONG: We were forced to surrender; having suffered heavy losses.

RIGHT (rephrased): We were forced to surrender; we had suffered heavy losses.

RIGHT (repunctuated): We were forced to surrender, having suffered heavy losses.

COLONS

Col: colons.

If your teacher marks “Col” or “Col X,” identify the exact rule you violated.

1. Use a colon to introduce noun phrases, lists, quotations and sentences.

Unaware of its value, many writers do not use the colon enough. More formal than a comma or a dash, it acts as an “equals” sign: an indication that what follows it is equivalent to what precedes it. The equivalent phrase before the colon should be a noun or noun phrase. In each example, the highlighted phrase is equivalent to what follows the colon.

NOUN PHRASE: Napoleon had not prepared for his worst enemy: the harsh Russian winter.

LIST: Four authors tell the story: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

QUOTATION: He told a trite joke: “Why did the chicken cross the road?”

SENTENCE: He was puzzled by a recurring dream: an old blind woman was following him.

Readers can substitute an imaginary “that is” or “namely” for a colon.

When I tried my “Who, me?” look, Mom said, “I am talking to one person: you.”

“First,” she added, “I’ll tell you the less painful of your two options: clean your room.”

A colon is a good way to introduce quotations, especially longer quotations. The sentence that leads into the quotation must treat the colon as an “equals” sign or an arrow:

Miranda reacts with an expression of wonder: “O brave new world!” (5.1.183).

The poem ends on a rhetorical question: “If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?”

2. Use a colon with subtitles, time of day, Biblical chapter and verse, and salutations in business letters.

Use a colon to divide a title from a subtitle, even if the title page of the book does not include one. You need to include subtitles when you compile a bibliography.

Possession: A Romance

7:40 a.m.

Revelation 21:2

Dear Madam or Sir:

Col.X: misuse of colon.

Identify which error you committed:

1. A sentence interrupted with a colon cannot resume after the phrase or quotation the colon introduces. Your sentence must end at the end of the introduced phrase. Change the punctuation or restructure the sentence.

WRONG: Edgar offers cryptic advice: “Ripeness is all” (5.2.11) to strengthen his father.

RIGHT: To strengthen his father, Edgar offers cryptic advice: “Ripeness is all” (5.2.11).

RIGHT: Edgar offers cryptic encouragement: “Ripeness is all” (5.2.11).

2. Do not confuse colons with semicolons.

WRONG: They stood and walked out of the theater: they had seen enough.

RIGHT: They stood and walked out of the theater; they had seen enough.

3. Use no colon if a word like “including” leads into a list.

WRONG: Society faces serious problems, including: crime, poverty and pollution.

RIGHT: Society faces serious problems, including crime, poverty and pollution.

RIGHT: Society faces some serious problems: crime, poverty and pollution.