17.3: Semicolons and Colons
- Page ID
- 5023
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A semicolon is can be used in three different types of sentence structures.
- To join two independent clauses.
Example: Several environmental organizations recognized the treaty; few endorsed it. - To join two independent clauses when a conjunctive adverb is used.
Example: Several environmental organizations recognized the treaty; however, few endorsed it. - To separate items in a list if the items in the list already necessitate a comma.
Example: She has a son, Mike Nach, of Arizona; a daughter, Emily Rosa, of Colorado; and a sister, Sara Evans, of Minnesota
Colons
Colons are used to draw attention to certain words. They are used after an independent clause to direct attention to a list, appositive, or quotation. They are used between independent clauses when the second clause summarizes or emphasizes the first clause or after the greeting in a formal letter.
| Case | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|
| List |
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| Appositive | My mom just won an award: Mom of the Year. | |
| Answers the question | There was only one possible explanation: The train had never arrived. | |
| Quotation | Homer Simpson is famous for his grunted expression: "Doh!" | |
| Between independent clauses | Life is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're going to get. | |
| Introduction of a definition | Hypernym of a word: a word having a wider meaning than the given one. | Is a special case of appositive. |
| After business salutation | Dear Sir or Madam: | |
| In a dialogue |
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| Separation of title from subtitle | Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope | |
| Separation of the chapter and the verse numbers of religious scriptures |
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| Separation within time of the day |
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Standard time vs military time |