OVERVIEW: COLONS AND SEMICOLONS

Colons and semicolons have a number of specialized but important uses. Writers use
colons to separate main clauses in a particular type of compound sentence; they also
use colons in business letters, in citations, to separate a title from a subtitle, and to
introduce a list. The principal use of semicolons is to separate the elements in a long or
complicated series, although writers also use them to separate main clauses when not
using a coordinating conjunction.

Objective. Use colons with lists, titles and subtitles, time references, quotations,
salutations for business letters, and documentary citations.

Colons

A colon is a punctuation mark that is used to introduce ideas.

Introduce Lists

Colons are used to introduce lists, often after the words the following or as follows.

Introduce a List: The following students are requested to report to the dean’s
office: Daniel Michaels, Aresha Williams, and Eduardo Velasquez.
Be sure that the colon follows a complete independent clause. Do not use a colon
immediately after a verb or a preposition. This interrupts an independent clause and is
incorrect.

The following examples use colons incorrectly:

Incorrect Use of a Colon in a List: For a good day at the beach, you must
bring: sunscreen, cold drinks, and a radio.
Incorrect Use of a Colon in a List: Her favorite meal consisted of: Coke,
french fries, and a sandwich.

The first example is incorrect because the colon interrupts the independent clause by
separating the verb from its object. The second example is incorrect because the colon
separates the preposition from the object of the preposition.

Consider the following correct revisions for each of the above examples:

Correct Use of a Colon in a List: For a good day at the beach, several items
are necessary: sunscreen, cold drinks, and a radio.
Correct Use of A Colon in a List: Her favorite meal consisted of the following
items: Coke, french fries, and a sandwich.

Separate Titles and Subtitles

Use colons to separate the title and subtitle of a book, movie, or other work.

Title and Subtitle: I read a fascinating book about World War II called Double
Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies.

Punctuate Time References

Always use colons to punctuate time references.

Time Reference: Meet me at the coffee shop at 5:00.

Punctuation Dialogue in a Play

Use colons to introduce long quotations or dialogue in movies, plays, or court testimony.

Dialogue in a Play: Juliet: How now? Who calls?

Punctuate Salutations in Business Letters

A common use of a colon is at the end of the salutation of a business letter or other
formal letter:
 Salutation of a Business Letter: Dear Ms. Ramirez:

Create Biblical Citations

Certain types of documentary citations require colons, both to cite chapter and verse in
the Bible and in both APA and MLA style.

Bible Citation: Exodus 9:15

Join Complete Sentences

Use a colon to join two complete sentences, or independent clauses, to form a single
sentence, especially when one of the clauses explains, supports, or elaborates on the
other, as in the following example.

Colon Joining Two Complete Sentences: I have known Zara my entire life:
she is actually my second cousin, and our mothers have always been close.
Objective. Use a semicolon to separate main, or independent, clauses that do not
have coordinating conjunctions.

Semicolons

The semicolon is a punctuation mark used to separate equal parts of a sentence.

Join Main Clauses

Semicolons are used to punctuate two different types of sentences. The first is a
sentence made up of two or more main clauses that are not joined by a coordinating
conjunction. You may find yourself writing this kind of sentence when you write one
statement and want to add another closely related statement. In this kind of sentence,
as in the following example, the semicolon tells the reader to look for a relationship
between ideas.

Semicolon Joining Main Clauses: George Eliot probed social issues more
thoroughly than any other Victorian novelist; perhaps she was able to do this
because she always wrote under a pseudonym.

Semicolons also serve as sentence punctuation when you want to link two main clauses
that are joined by a conjunctive adverb. Conjunctive adverbs, such as besides, also,
likewise, instead, however, thus, or finally, show that there is a relationship between two
clauses. Following is an example of this kind of sentence.

Semicolon and Conjunctive Adverb: I wanted a small dog; however, when I

Objective. Use a semicolon in a long series or when using commas would be

Avoid Confusion in Lists that Include Commas

Normally you would separate the elements in a series of three or more items (lions, and
tigers, and bears) with commas. When a series is extremely long, or when each
element in the series contains internal punctuation, however, using commas alone can
be confusing for the reader. In these cases, use semicolons to separate the elements in
the series and commas within each element, as in the following sentence.

Semicolons in a List with Commas: Helene was loaded down with her
backpack, which held her biology, chemistry, and French notebooks and
textbooks; her laptop bag which held her e-reader and phone; her purse; and
her gym bag.