Colons, Semicolons, and Dashes

Colons, Semicolons, and Dashes

​Colons

• ​used to introduces lists

  • We bought the following: milk, eggs, and cheese.

• ​used to introduce a quotation

  • ​if lenghty, formal, or no introductory expression

  • ​Holmes wrote this about freedom: "It is only through free debate and free exchange of ideas that government remains responsive to the will of the people."

• ​used to introduce a sentence that summarizes or explains the one before.

  • ​His explanation for being late was believable: He had had a flat tire on the way.

Multiple Choice

Where should the colon go?

He ran to the store to get a few things donuts, hair gel, and spaghetti noodles.

• donuts: hair gel: and spaghetti noodles

• a few things: donuts

• He ran to the store: to get a few things

Multiple Choice

Where should the colon go?

She said this about dogs "They are actually listening to all of your conversations. It's not prudent to discuss your family secrets in front of them. The government will find out."

• She said this about dogs: "They are...

• listening: to all of your conversations

• in front of them: the government will find out."

Multiple Choice

Where should the colon go?

Their reason for not coming to your birthday party was pretty good they ate a porcupine on accident.

• for not coming: to your birthday part was

• was pretty good: they ate a porcupine

• they ate a porcupine: on accident.

Semi-colons

• join closley related complete sentences, without a coordinating conjunction

  • We explored the attic together; we were amazed at all the useless junk we found there.

• join closley related complete sentences, with a transitional word/phrase

  • They visited shops in eight counties in only two days; consequently, they had no time to relax.

• avoid confusion when items in a list or series already contain commas

  • ​I sent letters to Alex, my friend from camp; Alana, my pen pal; and Hassan, my cousin.

Multiple Choice

Where should the semi-colon go?

The dog ran down the road to chase the cat her owners were not able to find her after she ran away.

• the cat; Her owners were not

• her owners were not able; To find her

• down the road; To chase the cat her owners

Multiple Choice

Where should the semi-colon go?

We run to find rest we rest so we can run.

• to find; rest we rest

• find rest; we rest

• we rest; so we can run.

Multiple Choice

Where should the semi-colon go?

Angela Lingonberry loves Ikea she loves Swedish meatballs and is big on minimalist furniture with weird Scandinavian names.

• Swedish meatballs; and is big on minimalist

• loves Ikea; she loves Swedish meatballs

• minimalist furniture; with weird Scandinavian names.

Dashes

• indicate an abrupt change of thought or a dramatic interrupting idea

  • The pagoda was built --- you may find this hard to believe --- in a single month.

• set off a summary statement at the end of a sentence

  • To see her jersey hanging from the rafters --- this was Cherie's greatest dream.

• set off a nonessential appositive that is long or already punctuated.

  • The cause of the damage --- a rare South American termite --- went undiscovered for years.

Multiple Choice

Where should the dashes go?

Cumulus clouds those puffy clouds at lower altitudes usually have flat bases.

• -- at lower altitudes--

• clouds -- those puffy--

• clouds-- those puffy clouds--

Multiple Choice

Where should the dashes go?

In the 1986 FIFA World Cup, the quarter-final was a contest between England and Argentina two nations that had been at war over the Falkland Islands four years earlier.

• a contest--between England and Argentina--

• Argentina--two nations that had been at war--

• Argentina--two nations that that had been at war over the Falkland Islands four years earlier.