17.3: Semicolons and Colons
- Page ID
- 5023
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)
Semicolons
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 |
|
|
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 |
|
|
Separation of title from subtitle | Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope | |
Separation of the chapter and the verse numbers of religious scriptures |
|
|
Separation within time of the day |
|
Standard time vs military time |