PUNCTUATIONSemi-ColonAndColon

SEMI-COLON RULES• #1• Replaces the word AND in between two

independent clauses

• The boy went to the circus; it was the longest night of his life.

Instead of…

• The boy went to the circus and it was the longest night of his life.

SEMI-COLON RULES

•#2•Used I a list of items when the list already

has commas in it.

•He drove to Erie, Pennsylvania; Lansing,

Michigan; and Honolulu, Hawaii.

COLON •Used to present something: a statement, a

series, a quotation or instructions.

•Meant to bring your sentence to a halt.

COLON RULES •#1•Use a colon instead of a comma if you

want to introduce a quotation.

•I said to him: “Smitty, please pick up a case of Pepsi on your way over.”

•A famous man once said: “Four score and seven years ago.”

COLON RULES •#2•To introduce a list when what comes before

the colon is a complete sentence (subject + predicate)

•Henry bought three kinds of pop: Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and Slice.

•I gave her three choices: do your homework, clean your room, or mow the lawn.

COLON RULES•#3•Do not use a colon to separate the verb

from the rest of the sentence.

•In Henry’s bag were: three carrots, two pineapples, and once squash.

•WRONG! – What is before the colon MUST be a complete sentence.