The semicolon [ ; ] is a powerful mark of punctuation with three uses.

Transcription

1 The Semicolon Recognize a semicolon when you see one. The semicolon [ ; ] is a powerful mark of punctuation with three uses. The first appropriate use of the semicolon is to connect two related sentences. The pattern looks like this: Complete Sentence +; + Complete Sentence. Here is an example: Grandma still rides her Harley motorcycle; her toy poodle balances in a basket between the handlebars. A semicolon can also team up with a transition often a conjunctive adverb to connect two sentences close in meaning. The pattern looks like this: Complete Sentence +; + Transition +, + Complete Sentence. Check out this example: My father does not approve of his mother cruising around town on a Harley motorcycle; however, Grandma has never cared what anyone thinks. Finally, use the semicolon to avoid confusion when you have complicated lists of items. The pattern looks like this:

2 Item +, + More Information + ; + Item +, + More Information + ;+ and + Item +, + More Information Read the following example: On a Harley motorcycle, my grandmother and her poodle have traveled to Anchorage, Alaska; San Francisco, California; and Tijuana, Mexico. Keep these three things in mind when you use a semicolon: The two main clauses that the semicolon joins should be closely related in meaning. Don't capitalize the word that follows the semicolon unless that word is a proper noun, one that is always capitalized. Limit your use of semicolons; you should not scatter them wantonly throughout your writing. Semicolons are like glasses of champagne; save them for special occasions. ***A semicolon adds variety to your writing.

3 The Colon A grammar book titled Punctuate It Right, has a wonderful name for the colon: the author calls it the mark of expectation or addition (1). That's because the colon signals that what comes next is directly related to the previous sentence. Use Colons After Complete Sentences The most important thing to remember about colons is that you only use them after statements that are complete sentences. Never use a colon after a sentence fragment. For example, it's correct to say, "Ms. Cvejic has two favorite hobbies: watching clouds and seeing how long she can stand on one foot." That's correct because "Ms. Cvejic has two favorite hobbies" is a complete sentence all by itself. Notice how the items after the colon expand on or clarify what came before the colon. I referred to my favorite hobbies before the colon and then specifically named them after the colon. A way to decide whether a colon is acceptable is to test whether you can replace it with the word namely. For example, you could say, "Ms. Cvejic has two favorite hobbies, namely, watching clouds and seeing how long she can stand on one foot." Most of the time, if you can replace a colon with the word namely, then the colon is the right choice. Considering the complete-sentence issue: it would be wrong to say, "Ms. Cvejic s favorite hobbies are: skiing and reading" because "Ms. Cvejic s favorite hobbies are" is not a complete sentence by itself. You can often fix those kinds of sentences by adding the words the following after your sentence fragment. For example, it would be fine to say, "Ms. Cvejic's favorite hobbies are the following: skiing and reading" because you've made the thing before the colon a grammatically complete sentence by adding the words the following. Colons and Lists The rules for colon use are the same whether you are writing lists or sentences: use a colon when you could use the word namely and after something that could be a complete sentence on its own. Space After a Colon People often argue about how many spaces to put after a period (one space is more common these days), and the problem also comes up with colons. When people used typewriters, the style was to put two spaces after a colon; but now that almost everyone uses computers with word processing software, the common style is to put one space after a colon. Colons and Capitalization Should you capitalize the first word after a colon? It's a style choice, and it depends on what is following the colon. Although the most conservative grammarians say you should capitalize the first word after a colon when the colon introduces a complete sentence, there are a lot of grammarians who say it isn't necessary. Since you never capitalize the first word after a colon if it is introducing something that isn't a complete sentence, it s easier to adopt

4 the less conservative rule for introducing complete sentences, and then all you have to remember is that the first word after a colon is always in lowercase (unless, of course, it is a proper name or something else that's always capitalized). But if you are writing for someone who uses a style guide, you should check to see if they have a preference because it is a style issue. *Recap: use a colon when you could use the word namely, only use a colon after a complete sentence, put one space after a colon, and don't capitalize the first word after a colon (and that's a style choice, so check with your employer or teacher and be consistent). What s the difference Between a Semicolon and a Colon? 1. First, the purpose of a colon is to introduce or define something. For example, you could write, Squiggly checked the temperature: it was -20 degrees. These differences can be subtle, but a colon is more appropriate in that sentence instead of a semicolon because the second clause (the temperature) strongly relates back to the first clause (Squiggly checking the temperature). Semicolons separate things. Most commonly, they separate two main clauses that are closely related to each other but could stand on their own as sentences. 2. The second difference between a colon and a semicolon is that when you are joining things, you use a semicolon to join things of equal weight, whereas you can use a colon to join things of equal or unequal weight. For example, you can use either a semicolon or a colon to join two main clauses, but you can only use a colon to join a main clause with a noun. Here's an example: "Squiggly missed only one friend: Aardvark." You couldn't use a semicolon in that sentence because the two parts are unequal. Note: One way to remember this is to think of the different elements as railroad cars. Only use a semicolon if you re joining two equal boxcars. If you re joining two unequal elements, like a boxcar and a caboose, then you know that you can't use a semicolon, and you must consider whether a colon makes sense. So, equal sentence boxcars get a semicolon, and unequal sentence boxcars and cabooses often get a colon (or a dash). I have a full episode about how to use colons, so you can refer to that if you need more information.

5 When to Use Semicolons, When to Use Commas One important thing to remember is that you never use semicolons with coordinating conjunctions such as and, or, and but when you're joining two main clauses. Instead, if you're joining two main clauses with a coordinating conjunction, you use a comma. For example, "It was zero, and Squiggly wondered if he would freeze to death. I don't want to confuse you, but there is one situation where you use semicolons with coordinating conjunctions, and that's when you are writing a list of items and commas just don't do the job of separating them all. Here's an example: "This week's book winners are Herbie in Milligan College, Tennessee; Matt in Irvine, California; and Jan in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma." Those are the real winners in this week's special Scott Sigler book giveaway, and they've each won a copy of his novel Earthcore, but the list also provides a great example of using semicolons in a list. Because each item in the list requires a comma to separate the city from the state, you have to use a semicolon to separate the items themselves. Finally, you use a semicolon when you use a conjunctive adverb to join two main clauses. Conjunctive adverbs are words such as however, therefore, and indeed, and they "usually show cause and effect, sequence, contrast, comparison, or other relationships" (1). For example, The aardvark is on vacation; therefore, Squiggly has to carry the weight in this episode. (The comma after the conjunctive adverb is optional.) Sometimes people seem frustrated because they have to remember to use commas with coordinating conjunctions and semicolons with conjunctive adverbs, so if you can't keep the difference straight in your head, it can help to remember that commas are smaller than semicolons and go with coordinating conjunctions, which are almost always short two- or three-letter words small punctuation mark, small words. Semicolons are bigger and they go with conjunctive adverbs, which are almost always longer than three letters bigger punctuation, bigger words. I'll put a list of the two kinds of connectors at the bottom of this transcript. Common Coordinating Conjunctions Use these with commas to join main clauses and but nor or so Common Conjunctive Adverbs Use these with semicolons to join main clauses accordingly again also besides consequently

6 yet for* finally furthermore hence however incidentally indeed likewise moreover namely nevertheless nonetheless otherwise similarly still that is then therefore thus