list with colon and semicolons

Surface Studio vs iMac - Which Should You Pick? It is used to separate items. Example 2: I went to the store; I bought food. Colons can do more than offset a long, bulleted list. - History, Music & Gabriela Mistral: Biography, Poems & Books, Katherine Mansfield: Short Stories & Themes, Anselm Kiefer: Biography, Paintings & Sculpture, A Bend in the River by V.S. Colons and semicolons are two types of punctuation. Apple bobbing. Characteristics of the International Manager in Global General Social Science and Humanities Lessons. I bought a lot of meat at the store: bacon, turkey, chicken, and tuna. Bread, milk, butter, and cheese from the corner shop; lamb and beef from the market; and onions from your uncle's stall There is mounting evidence of global warming; of course, some people will never believe it. She traveled to the following countries: England, Italy, and Japan. #1: Lists Within a Sentence You must have a complete sentence in front of a colon used to introduce a list within a sentence. We knew who would win the game: the Eagles, He wanted to see three cities in Italy: Rome, Florence, and Venice. More Examples of Semicolons in Lists Here are some more examples: Bread, milk, butter, cheese, lamb, beef, and onions (There are no semicolons in this list because none of the list items contains its own comma.) Semicolons are more than fancy commas or part of a winky-face emoticon. Wasn't that exciting? A semicolon consists of a coma with a dot above it. A semicolon is a form of punctuation that plays a role halfway between a comma and a period. Drag Coefficient Overview & Equation | What is Drag in Clinical Judgment Case Study - Preventing Complications How Literary Devices Impact Works of Nonfiction. Take a look at the examples below. Here are the demonstrative determiners; "this," "that," "these," and "those." John has organized the following events; Egg-and-spoon race. (Good grades are integral to student success; a strong support network is also important. The following cities were hit by heavy rains: Spartanburg, Greenville, and Anderson. Like the semicolon, a colon can only come after an independent clause in a sentence. Semicolons (;) are used to join two independent clauses, or two complete thoughts that could stand alone as complete sentences. The correct answer is choice C. The first part of the choice is an independent clause that introduces a list of items with a colon. Semicolons represent two closely linked independent clauses. Using punctuation correctly can make your written English clearer, easier to read and more elegant. I have several favorite genres of movies: drama, science fiction, and mystery. Colons come after independent clauses and may be followed by lists, words, phrases, clauses, or independent clauses: Then I came to a shocking realization: He did not remember me. All Rights Reserved. Can I use semicolons in a list? A comma joins two ideas but gives a little speed bump. While a colon looks similar to a semicolon, the two serve different functions. Semicolons Use in Lists: Items with Internal Punctuation In most lists, it's enough to use commas to separate the items. Like colons, semicolons shouldn't be used to connect more than two clauses and you do not capitalize the first word of the second clause. A semicolon is used in place of a comma to separate phrases or items in a list or series when the phrases or items themselves contain commas or are especially long: Harry set out to find a dessert that would demonstrate his deep appreciation of Mabel's meal. There are two choices at this time: run away or fight. As soon as we explore the examples of colons and semicolons below, you'll be that much closer to the title of Grammar Pro. Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, How to Use Semicolons and Colons in a List. The two punctuation marks serve very different purposes, and should not be used interchangeably. The players came from all over the world: Germany, Russia, Japan, Canada, and Australia. She felt terrible, but she went to class anyway. (Author Stephen King) 1 of 7 STEP 1 - Start writing your list. Erika Romero has a B.A., M.A., and PhD in English. In the example, two independent clauses are joined with a semicolon. An independent clause is a clause that's capable of standing on its own. Without the semicolons, the sentence would read as follows: Example: Linda went to Sparta, Georgia, Troy, New York, and Paris, North Carolina. Just remember this main point: semicolons are used to offset two independent clauses. Colons (:) are used in sentences to show that something is following, like a quotation, example, or list. The two sentences used in the example can be combined. Beyond that, they're also used after a formal introduction, as in "To Whom It May Concern:" For more information on all five rules, check out these 5 Rules of Colon Usage. Don't use semicolons to end punctuation. Using colons and semicolons gives you more control over your written English, and they are not so . Each of these is used to indicate a pause or break in a sentence. How to use a semicolon correctly. The two sentences in the example can stand alone but we can use more precise language if we combine them with a colon. If your list is complex, use a colon to introduce the list and semicolons to separate the items. Because it was raining, I took a taxi home. You should stop eating so much food; you will have to go on a diet. However, both a colon and a semicolon are used to connect related sentences. Use either all full sentences in your bullet lists or all fragments. What's about to come after the colon is meant to further illustrate whatever was mentioned before the colon. To help separate items in a list, when some of those items already contain commas. Click to see a step-by-step slideshow. You can't introduce a list - any list - with a semicolon. Semicolons should introduce evidence or a reason for the preceding statement; for example, this sentence appropriately uses a semicolon. (He wrote "Crisis Management by Apology: Corporate Response to Allegations of Wrongdoing."). This is a Remington typewriter; all the keys are intact. Here are the two most common uses of the semicolon: 1. Worksheet #1 Worksheet #2 Worksheet #3. Colons (:) are used in sentences to show that something is following, like a quotation, example, or list. The primary use of semicolons is to join two main clauses. Separating items with semi-colons. Commas set off parenthetical elements such as an appositive, which is a noun phrase or clause that renames or describes the noun directly beside it, and nonrestrictive relative clauses: The Washington monument, a massive obelisk, was completed in 1884. Semicolons are used between list items that already use commas, as a way to clear up confusion. This was first said by Shakespeare: "To thine own self be true. Review these eight times commas were important to see if your comma game is on point. In this example, the colon is used to introduce the cities. Use colons to: 1. to introduce a list. The book is informative; it has helpful charts and graphs. Start practicingand saving your progressnow: https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/grammar/punctuation-the-. Semicolon Use in Lists A properly inserted semicolon helps to provide pause and clarifying separation in sentences. Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. There are three primary purposes for this member of the punctuation family: lists, quotations, and independent clauses. We use cookies and similar technologies to improve your website experience and help us understand how you use our website. The primary use of semicolons is to join two main clauses.The difference between semicolons and colons is that colons can combine two independent clauses, but their primary use is to join independent clauses with a list or a noun. The semicolon joins ideas and slows the reader even more. The general answer is no. copyright 2003-2022 Study.com. As such, the semicolon comes to the rescue to divide the lists, acting as a comma, but allowing for greater organization and clarity. He explained oleo: Its a non-dairy butter substitute. First, each example contains two clauses. Please pack my anthologies on short stories, poetry, and Shakespearean plays; my biographies on Jackie Kennedy, Charles Stuart, and Queen Elizabeth; and my historical romance novels by Nora Roberts, Jude Devereux, and Diana Gabaldon. The words on either side of the colon should be able to stand on their own. Semicolons can be used to link items in a list, such as objects, locations, names and descriptions . A semicolon eliminates the need for the conjunction (and the . How do you use a colon in a list examples? The example can be revised: I got three presents for my birthday: a toy, a puzzle, and a bike. (Reporter: What is the Western Edge? ", Mrs. Morris preaches this concept: "Second place is first loser. When making lists, colons are used to introduce the list of items. Example: Linda went toSparta,Georgia,Troy,New York,and Paris,North Carolina. He cares for no one: he is the epitome of selfish. Colons with Items in a List. Choice A are two sentences that are not combined. Choice B is incorrect because semicolons are used to combine independent clauses. I bought two bananas. Without the semicolons, the sentence would read as follows: In the above example, Linda went to five different places. Punctuation: Colon and Semicolon The colon ( : ) and semicolon ( ; ) are frequently used incorrectly in place of each other. Using Semicolons Semicolons have four uses: (1) To separate list items (when the list items contain commas). C. I need to buy groceries: apples, bread, and eggs. ), Two closely related sentencesFor the most part, you should use a semicolon only where you could also use a period, but want to demonstrate a relationship between two complete sentences. It's Mr. Hoagland's punctuation review: commas; semicolons and colons; apostrophesoh, and commas if the list is simple, such as a list of single words semicolons if the list is complex, such as a list of items that already contain commas or conjunctions. Examples: . Semicolons can also be used when writing a list. YES: There will be some new people at the meeting: Paul, Sarah, and Jean. Unlike the semicolon, the words that come after a colon do not need to be an independent clause. The post office, store, water and electric companies. Begin it with a phrase and a colon to introduce the list. When used to join clauses, the colon is a mark of direction; the semicolon is primarily a mark of clarification.