Colons and Semicolons

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Colons and Semicolons
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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).

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Colons

• Rule 1 Use a colon to mean note what follows.

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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.

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Colons

• Rule 1 Use a colon to mean note what follows.
• 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.

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Colons

• Rule 1 Use a colon to mean note what follows.
• b) Use a colon before a long formal statement or
  quotation.

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Colons

• b) Use a colon before a long formal statement or
  quotation.
• Example
• Thomas Paines first pamphlet in the series The
  American Crisis starts with these famous words
  These are the times that try mens souls. The
  summer soldier and sunshine patriot will, in this
  crisis, shrink from the service of their
  country

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Colons

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

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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.

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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.

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Colons

• Rule 3 Use a colon in certain convention
  situations.

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Colons

• Rule 3 Use a colon in certain convention
  situations.
• a) Use a colon between the hour and minute in a
  time notation.

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Colons

• Rule 3 Use a colon in certain convention
  situations.
• Use a colon between the hour and minute in a time
  notation.
• Example
• School finishes at 315.

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Colons

• Rule 3 Use a colon in certain convention
  situations.
• b) Use a colon between chapter and verse in
  Biblical references.

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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 1719.

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Colons

• Rule 3 Use a colon in certain convention
  situations.
• c) Use a colon between a title and a subtitle.

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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 Childrens Crusade
• book by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

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Colons

• Rule 3 Use a colon in certain convention
  situations.
• d) Use a colon after a salutation in a business
  letter.

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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

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Semicolons

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Semicolons

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

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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.