Semicolons

The Colon
Parenthesis
Dashes
Slash
Hyphen
Use a semicolon between closely related
complete sentences not joined with a
coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS)
In 1800, a traveler needed six weeks to get
from New York City to Chicago; in 1860, the
trip by railroad took only two days.
Use a semicolon between independent clauses
linked with a transitional expression
Many corals grow very gradually; in fact, the
creation of a coral reef can take centuries.
Use a semicolon between items in a series
containing internal punctuation
Classic science fiction sagas are Star Trek, with
Mr. Spock; Battlestar Galactica, with its Cylons;
Star Wars, with Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and
Darth Vader.
Classic science fiction sagas are Star Trek, with
Mr. Spock, Battlestar Galactica, with its Cylons,
and Star Wars, with Han Solo, Luke Skywalker,
and Darth Vader.
Do not use a semicolon between an
appositive and the word it refers to
WRONG - The scientists were fascinated by
the species Argyroneta aquatica; a spider that
lives underwater.
Do not use a semicolon to introduce a list
WRONG - Some of my favorite foods include;
pizza, fries, and lobster.
Do not use a semicolon between sentences
joined by FANBOYS
WRONG - Five of the applicants had worked
with spreadsheets; but only one was familiar
with database management.
1. Many Americans think of the years after World
War II as a golden era; a time before modern
complexities made life more difficult.
Many Americans think of the years after World
War II as a golden era, a time before modern
complexities made life more difficult.
2. Even without considering the quality of life at
that time for women and minorities; an idyllic
view of the mid-twentieth century ignores other
issues.
Even without considering the quality of life at
that time for women and minorities, an idyllic
view of the mid-twentieth century ignores other
issues.
3. The late 1940s and 1950s marked the
height of the Cold War era; many Americans
were frightened about what might happen in
the future.
Correct
4. The Soviet Union, an ally of the United States
during World War II, took control of the
governments of neighboring countries. China,
after a civil war, fell under Communist rule, and
the Korean conflict, in which Americans were
involved, seemed to prove that Communists
wanted to take over as much land as possible.
The Soviet Union, an ally of the United States
during World War II, took control of the
governments of neighboring countries; China,
after a civil war, fell under Communist rule; and
the Korean conflict, in which Americans were
involved, seemed to prove that Communists
wanted to take over as much land as possible.
5. Americans reacted to Communist activities
elsewhere in the world, and part of their
reaction included fear of communism at
home.
Correct
6. Senator Joseph McCarthy may have shared
this fear, he certainly capitalized on it to
advance his political career.
Senator Joseph McCarthy may have shared
this fear; he certainly capitalized on it to
advance his political career.
7. In 1950, McCarthy announced that he had
a list of Communists; who held positions in
the US State Department.
In 1950, McCarthy announced that he had a
list of Communists (OMIT :) who held
positions in the US State Department.
8. At about the same time, the House Un-
American Activities Committee began
investigating Hollywood; many stars were
asked to testify about suspected
Communists in the film industry.
Correct
9. Eventually, more than 150 film workers,
including; performers, directors, and writers,
were blacklisted by the Hollywood studios.
Eventually, more than 150 film workers,
including (omit ;) performers, directors, and
writers, were blacklisted by the Hollywood
studios.
Use a colon after an independent clause to
direct attention to a list, an appositive, a
quotation, or a summary/explanation
The daily routine should included at least the
following: twenty knee bends, fifty sit-ups, and
five minutes of running in place.
My roommate is guilty of two of the seven
deadly sins: gluttony and sloth.
What do these two sentences have in common?
This is the rule of thumb for colon usage.
Use a colon according to convention
Dear Sir or Madam:
5:30 p.m.
In proportions 2:1
Title and Subtitle The Glory of Hera: Greek
Mythology and the Greek Family
Avoid using a colon between a verb and its
object/complement
WRONG - Some important vitamins found in
vegetables are: vitamin A, thiamine, niacin, and
vitamin C.
Avoid using a colon between a preposition and
its object
WRONG The hearts two pumps each consist of:
an upper chamber, or atrium, and a lower
chamber, or ventricle.
Avoid using a colon after such as, including, or
for example
WRONG The NCAA regulates college athletic
teams, including: basketball, baseball, softball,
and football.
1. In 1910, Robert Falcon Scott led his second
expedition to Antarctica with two objectives to
collect scientific data and to be the first humans
at the South Pole.
In 1910, Robert Falcon Scott led his second
expedition to Antarctica with two objectives: to
collect scientific data and to be the first humans
at the South Pole.
2. The years before World War I were a heady
time for: exploration of the frozen Antarctic
continent.
The years before World War I were a heady time
for (Omit :) exploration of the frozen Antarctic
continent.
3. The story of Scotts difficult journey continues
to fascinate armchair adventurers: even thought
he expedition was, in many ways, a failure.
The story of Scotts difficult journey continues to
fascinate armchair adventurers (Omit : ) even
thought he expedition was, in many ways, a
failure.
4. After arriving in Antarctica, Scotts scientists
began their work, they collected specimens,
surveyed the land, and recorded twelve volumes
of data.
After arriving in Antarctica, Scotts scientists
began their work: they collected specimens,
surveyed the land, and recorded twelve volumes
of data.
5. In 1911, Scott learned that the Norwegian
explorer Roald Amundsen had decided to try to
reach the South Pole as well.
correct
6. Scott stuck to his original timetable for the
South Pole journey, he did not want to engage in
a race.
Scott stuck to his original timetable for the
South Pole journey: he did not want to engage in
a race.
7. Scott and his men set out for the South Pole in
the Antarctic summer of 1911: which is the
winter season in the Northern Hemisphere.
Scott and his men set out for the South Pole in
the Antarctic summer of 1911, which is the
winter season in the Northern Hemisphere.
8. In January 1912, Scott and the four
companions who had traveled to the Pole
with him were disappointed to learn that
Amundsens men had arrived a month
earlier.
correct
9. As they traveled back to their base camp,
death took all five men Scott, Titus Oates,
Edgar Evans, Henry Bowers, and Edward
Wilson.
As they traveled back to their base camp,
death took all five men: Scott, Titus Oates,
Edgar Evans, Henry Bowers, and Edward
Wilson.
10. Scotts Last Expedition: The Journals
records the explorers last diary entry: I do
not think we can hope for any better things
now. We shall stick it out to the end, but we
are getting weaker, of course, and the end
cannot be far. It seems a pity, but I do not
think I can write more.
correct
Use to enclose supplemental material, minor
digressions, and afterthoughts
Nurses record patients vital signs (temperature,
pulse, and blood pressure) several times a day.
Dorothys shoes (which are red) originally belonged
to the Wicked Witchs sister.
Use to enclose letters or numbers labeling
items in a series
Regulations stipulated that only the following
equipment could be used on the survival mission: (1)
knife, (2) thirty feet of parachute line, (3) a book of
matches, and (4) two ponchos.
1. Bad movies, (some of which are quite enjoyable
to watch), often have a cult following.
Omit commas
2. Some films routinely make every critics list of
worst films (Usually, these movies are so bad they
are funny.).
Lowercase usually
Omit period inside of the parentheses
5. One Corman film, Little Shop of Horrors, (1960)
was filmed in less than three days.
Horrors (1960),
6. But the director Edward D. Wood Jr. [1924-
1978] has a special place in the world of bad
movies.
Change brackets to parenthesis
7. Wood gained new fame with Tim Burtons film
biography, Ed Wood, (1994).
Ed Wood (1994).
8. Like Cormans movies, Woods were made very
quickly, but Wood, (unlike Corman), thought he
was making great films.
Wood (unlike Corman) thought
9. Woods masterpiece, Plan 9 from Outer Space,
(Bela Lugosis last film) is a science fiction and
horror film with bad acting, dreadful writing, and
laughable special effects.
Space (Bela Lugosis last film), is
Use to set off parenthetical material that deserves
emphasis
Everything that went wrong from the peeping Tom at
her window last night to my head-on collision today
we blamed on our move.
Use to set off appositives that contain commas
An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames a
nearby noun. They are usually set off with commas, but
when the appositive itself contains commas, a pair of
dashes helps readers see the importance of all pauses.
In my hometown, peoples basic needs food, clothing,
and shelter are less costly than in a big city like LA.
Type word space dash dash space word
for elongation
Use to introduce a list, a restatement, an
amplification, or a dramatic shift in tone or
thought
(basically can replace a colon, but colons are
more formal and less dramatic than a dash)
Only use if there is a specific reason for its use
(dont want unnecessary chopiness)
In my hometown, peoples basic needs include the
following items sesame seed oil, honey, safflower oil,
and that half-liquid peanuts only peanut butter.
1. Songbirds are a part of our national heritage,
each state has its own official bird.
Heritage - each
2. Some states have official birds unique to the
region.
Omit dash
3. The nene Hawaiis state bird, is a goose found
only on those islands.
Bird is
4. In Salt Lake City, a statue of a seagull which is
Utahs state bird honors the birds that ate a huge
swarm of locusts without the birds, most crops
would have been eaten by the insects.
Omit first 2 dashes
5. Other states share popular state birds, the
cardinal, the meadowlark, and the mockingbird are
all official birds in at least five states.
Birds the cardinal
6. When Americans think of spring they often
think of songbirds chirping in the trees.
Omit dash
7. For many years the Audubon Society, an
organization devoted to nature study has studied
populations of songbirds.
Society an organization
8. Birdwatchers mainly trained volunteers count
birds in small local areas during the year-end
holiday season.
Volunteers count birds
9. The numbers of some songbirds though
fortunately not all have declined alarmingly.
Not all have declined
10. Although most people appreciate the sights
and sounds of songbirds they may not realize
how modern human habitats interfere with many
birds lives.
Omit dash
Use to separate paired terms
Do not use space before or after slash
Pass/fail, producer/director
Do not use and/or, he/she, is/or
Rewrite instead
Use the dictionary to see if whether or not a
word is hyphenated or compound
Water-repellent, waterproof, water table
Use when two or more words are used together
as an adjective before a noun
Richa Gupta is not yet a well-known
candidate.
Do not use to connect ly adverbs to words they
modify
WRONG: A slowly-moving truck tied up traffic
Hyphenate fractions and certain numbers when
they are spelled out
One-fourth
Use with the prefixes all-, ex-, and self-
Self-help
Use with the suffix -elect
President-elect
Use in certain words to avoid ambiguity or to
separate awkward double or triple letters
Re-creation and recreation
Anti-intellectual (double i)
Cross-stitch (double s)
1. Does buying lottery tickets and entering
sweepstakes make a person selfemployed?
Self-employed
2. The odds of winning a major lottery prize are
often over a million-to-one.
Omit hyphens
3. Yet many people, including desperately-poor
ones who cannot afford the tickets, buy large
numbers of them when the jackpot is high and
the odds are worst.
Omit hyphen
4. A sensible approach to such sky high odds
would be not to enter the lottery at all.
Sky-high
5. Sweepstakes are well-known to anyone with a
mailbox.
Omit hyphen
6. Unlike lotteries, apparently-free sweepstakes
do not require any cash investment other than the
price of a stamp.
Omit hyphen
7. Yet many sweepstakes imply that buying a
magazine-subscription or a product improves the
chances of winning.
Omit hyphen
8. Some sweepstakes companies have been
accused of trying to dupe customers who do not
read the fine-print.
Omit hyphen
9. Some elderly people have thrown away their
great grandchildrens inheritance, buying
hundreds of products they dont need from
sweepstakes advertisers.
Great-grandchildrens
10. The idea of getting rich with minimal work or
investment is so strikingly-attractive that many
people put logic aside and come up with the
money.
Omit hyphen
Read chapter on process writing
For Wednesday...
Quiz #3
Read about parallelism, misplaced & dangling
modifiers in glossary