What is a Semicolon?
A semicolon is a form of punctuation that plays a role halfway between a comma and a period. Semicolons can be used to connect two independent clauses into a single sentence if they have a strong relation to one another. Semicolons can also be used to list items in a series if the items already include commas.
Semicolons to connect independent clauses
An independent clause is a group of words that can function as a complete sentence. If you have two sentences and the first one ends with a period, you can join them into one sentence using a semicolon.
Do not capitalize the first word that comes after a semicolon unless it is a proper noun.
- Example: A single death is a tragedy. A million deaths are a statistic.
- Example: A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths are a statistic.
- Example: America’s national bird is the bald eagle. Canada’s is the gray jay.
- Example: America’s national bird is the bald eagle; Canada’s is the gray jay.
If a compound sentence is connected by a comma and a coordinating conjunction, the comma and conjunction can be replaced by a semicolon.
- Example: Maisy went to the carnival, and she had the time of her life.
- Example: Maisy went to the carnival; she had the time of her life.
Semicolons and items in a series
Semicolons are used to separate more than two items in a series when there is a comma in one or more of the items.
- Example: Linda went to Sparta, Georgia; Troy, New York; and Paris, North Carolina.
In the above example, Linda went to three different places.
Without the semicolons, the sentence would read as follows:
- Example: Linda went to Sparta, Georgia, Troy, New York, and Paris, North Carolina.
In the above example, Linda went to five different places.
What is a Colon?
Colons are a form of punctuation used to introduce a relevant item, series of items, or quote into a sentence. Like the semicolon, a colon can only come after an independent clause in a sentence. Unlike the semicolon, the words that come after a colon do not need to be an independent clause.
Here are some examples of how to use a colon in a sentence.
Colon to introduce a single item
- Example: One food item from the Western Hemisphere completely changed Korean cuisine: the chili pepper.
Colon to introduce items in a series
- Example: I have so many allergies: nuts, dairy, dust, dogs, cats, and bees.
- Example: I’ve traveled all over the world: Canada, Turkey, China, and Brazil.
Colon to introduce a quote
He ended his presentation with the words of Mister Spock: “Live long and prosper.”
