Transcript Using Semicolons

Using Colons
Why are colons important?
Colons to mean “note what follows”
Colons in conventional situations
Review A
Review B
Why are colons important?
:
The colon is a special punctuation
mark that can serve several different
purposes.
A colon can be used to mean
“note what follows.”
At the mall I will buy the following items:
a sweater, a watch, and some socks.
The colon says, “Take note. The items are
are about to be listed.”
Why are colons important?
Colons are also used to separate elements in
certain conventional situations.
5:45 P.M.
Proverbs 3:3
Impression: Sunrise
All of these would be difficult to read without the
colon to mark the separate parts.
[End of Section]
Colons to mean “note what follows”
Use a colon before a list of items, especially after
expressions such as the following and as follows.
Central America has seven countries:
Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua,
and Panama.
The animal shelter needs the
following items: blankets, dog and
cat food, toys, and office supplies.
Colons to mean “note what follows”
Do not place a colon right after a verb.
Verb
Incorrect
The emergency kit included: safety
flares, jumper cables, and a flashlight.
Correct
The emergency kit included safety flares,
jumper cables, and a flashlight.
Correct
The emergency kit included the
following: safety flares, jumper cables,
and a flashlight.
Colons to mean “note what follows”
Do not place a colon right after a preposition.
Preposition
Incorrect
Each student was provided with: two
sharp pencils, some paper, and a ruler.
Correct
Each student was provided with two
sharp pencils, some paper, and a ruler.
Correct
Each student was provided with the
following items: two sharp pencils, some
paper, and a ruler.
Colons to mean “note what follows”
Use a colon before a long, formal statement or
quotation.
Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
begins with these famous words: “Four
score and seven years ago our fathers
brought forth on this continent a new
nation, conceived in Liberty, and
dedicated to the proposition that all men
are created equal.”
Colons to mean “note what follows”
Use a colon between independent clauses when
the second clause explains or restates the first.
Those hanging lamps are the most
popular kind: They are inexpensive,
available in many colors, and easy to
install.
Colons to mean “note what follows”
On Your Own
Add colons where they are needed in the following
sentences.
1. Bryan was sure about one thing He would never
give in to peer pressure again.
2. The president read the mission statement “We
dedicate ourselves to the education of young
people and to preparing them for the world.”
3. You’ll need the following for the hike sturdy boots,
a waterproof jacket, bottled water, and a hat.
[End of Section]
Colons in conventional situations
Use a colon in certain conventional situations:
Between the hour and the
minute in times
7:45 in the morning
Between chapter and verse
in biblical references
Luke 17:1–4
Colons in conventional situations
Use a colon in certain conventional situations:
Between a title and a subtitle
Desert Plants: How They Live
After the salutation of a
business letter
Dear Mrs. Rodriguez:
Colons in conventional situations
On Your Own
Add colons where they are needed in the following
sentences.
1. My mother was a big fan of the TV series Star Trek The
Next Generation.
2. The biblical story of the battle between David and
Goliath is told in I Samuel 17 4–58.
3. Groups of art students boarded the bus at 8 30 A.M. and
arrived at the museum at 10 00 A.M.
4. The letter began, “To Whom It May Concern Please
consider me for admission to your institution.”
[End of Section]
Review A
Add colons where they are needed in the following
sentences.
1. She revised her report twice She looked first at content
and then read the report for style.
2. Your reading assignment is as follows pages 217–232,
pages 275–302, and the summary.
3. Daryl titled his essay “Educators Heroes of Everyday Life.”
4. Ms. Wesley began her speech by thanking all the
volunteers “On this very special day, let me first express
my undying thanks for your devotion to our cause.”
[End of Section]
Review B
Add colons where they are needed in the following
sentences. If a sentence is already correct, label it C.
1. On their vacation the Youngs traveled through four states
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts.
2. There on my brother’s nightstand I saw a broken marble,
a hunk of moss, and four sticks of varying lengths.
3. The lecture will begin promptly at 6 45.
4. The story of the good Samaritan is in Luke 10 25–37.
5. I began the letter, “Dear Mr. McLellan Thank you for
sending me the information I requested.”
[End of Section]
The End