Semicolons

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Semicolons ColonsBy Mamie Webb HixonUWF
Writing Lab Director
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• Put in sentence form.
• He can never find
• his textbooks
• his calculator
• and his homework.
• He can never find his textbooks, his calculator,
  and his homework.

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• Combine into one sentence, supplying appropriate
  punctuation.
• Stu Dent has three endearing qualities
• honesty
• integrity
• and intelligence.
• Stu Dent has three endearing qualities honesty,
  integrity, and intelligence.

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Put in sentence form and supply the correct
punctuation. The three movies recommended by the
school superintendent are Dangerous Minds Up the
Down Staircase and Mr. Hollands Opus. The three
movies recommended by the school superintendent
are Dangerous Minds, Up the Down Staircase, and
Mr. Hollands Opus.
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• Put in sentence form and supply the correct
  punctuation.
• The results of the SGA election were surprising
• the freshman won by a landslide.
• The results of the SGA election were surprising
  the freshman won by a landslide.

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• Put in sentence form and supply the correct
  punctuation.
• Stu Dent is afraid to talk to people
• even to ask the time of the day.
• Stu Dent is afraid to talk to people, even to ask
  the time of the day.
• Do not use a semicolon to separate a phrase and
  an independent clause.

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• Put in sentence form and supply the correct
  punctuation.
• Three things happened in rapid succession
• Brian tripped over a chair
• Shantes book fell on the floor
• and Ahn had a temper tantrum.
• Three things happened in rapid succession Brian
  tripped over a chair Shantes books fell on the
  floor and Ahn had a temper tantrum.
• USE A COLON
• To introduce a horizontal or vertical list if
  information preceding colon is a complete
  sentence
• USE A SEMICOLON
• To separate individual items listed horizontally,
  if each is a sentence.

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• Combine into one sentence, supplying appropriate
  punctuation.
• Please bring the following
• a water bottle
• a sleeping bag
• and a flashlight.
• Please bring the following water bottle,
  sleeping bag, and flashlight.
• Introduce a list. The colon tells the reader to
  look ahead and directs his attention to what
  follows.

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• Put in sentence form and supply the correct
  punctuation.
• The art exhibit contained works by local artists
  such as
• Jonathan Green
• Charley Harris
• and Tim Jones.
• The art exhibit contained works by local artists
  such as Jonathan Green, Charley Harris, and Tim
  Jones.

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• Put in sentence form and supply appropriate
  punctuation.
• Three new courses are being offered
• Art of Greece, Rome, and Africa
• The Ottoman Empire in the Thirteenth, Fourteenth,
  and Fifteenth Centuries
• and Political Theory of the Afghans.
• Three new courses are being offered Art of
  Greece, Rome, and Africa The Ottoman Empire in
  the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth
  Centuries and Political Theory of the Afghans.

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• Put in sentence form and supply the correct
  punctuation.
• Parents should contact one of the following
  teachers
• Mrs. Baldwin, music teacher
• Ms. Johnson, dance teacher
• and Mr. Hewett, English teacher.
• Parents should contact one of the following
  teachers Mrs. Baldwin, music teacher Ms.
  Johnson, dance teacher and Mr. Hewett, English
  teacher.

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• Combine using but.
• The parent has a challenging job, a decent
  income, and good prospects for the future
• she does not discipline her children.
• The parent has a challenging job, a decent
  income, and good prospects for the future but
  she does not discipline her children.
• Two independent clauses with internal commas.

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• Combine using but. Then combine using however.
• It is true that students and faculty must pay a
  penalty for overdue books
• there is a grace period.
• It is true the students and faculty must pay a
  penalty for overdue books, but there is a grace
  period.
• It is true that students and faculty must pay a
  penalty for overdue books however, there is a
  grace period.

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• Combine using however.
• Most of the school board members did not want to
  close the two schools
• they had no choice.
• Most of the school board members did not want to
  close the two schools however, they had no
  choice.
• -To separate two independent clauses connected by
  a conjunctive adverb.
• -The conjunctive adverb is usually followed by
  comma.

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• Put in sentence form and supply the correct
  punctuation.
• The principal quoted a famous African proverb
• when you fall, dont look where you fell look
  where you stumbled.
• The principal quoted a famous African proverb
  When you fall, dont look where you fell look
  where you stumbled.
• To separate the introductory words from a
  quotation which follows, if the quotation is
  formal, long, or paragraphed separately.