Monday, February 6, 2017

Colons and Semi-colons in English



Colons

Use a colon to join an independent clause (complete sentence) and a list.
Correct:           He bought three posters to decorate his apartment: an old concert poster, a view of the city, and a mural of San Diego. 
Incorrect:         Volunteers aid biologists in: erosion control, trail maintenance, and clean-up. Incorrect:         Jessica’s wardrobe included: three pairs of pants, a nice skirt, and a party dress.


Semi-colons

There must be a complete sentence on both sides of the semicolon!

Correct:           Police want to crack down on drug use at raves; they have started to arrest more people.
Incorrect:         Internet retailers have a limited customer base; only those with Internet access.

If you have a conjunction after the semi-colon, you need a comma.

Correct:           Police want to crack down on drug use at raves; thus, they have started to arrest more people. 
Incorrect:         There were several people I wanted to see at the party; however I didn’t see any of them there.  

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