Punctuation

Semicolon Can be used to separate the two parts of a compound sentence. Examples: Please open the window; it is hot in here. Southerners migrated to the North; they often took the train.

Semicolon Separate items in a series when commas are already in use. Examples: We are thinking about moving to Omaha, Nebraska; Gainesville, Florida; or Memphis, Tennessee. The soccer team included Adam Hoyt, sophomore; Mathew Thomas, senior; and Joshua John, junior.

Colon Is used after the salutation in a business letter to separate the hours and minutes in expressions of time. Examples: Dear Mrs. Smith: 10:30 P.M.

Colon Introduces a list and sets off a speaker’s name in a play. Examples: I did the following chores: wax the car, clean my room, and sweep the porch. Sandi: Hello there!

Dash Sets of information that interrupts the flow of a sentence. Examples: Southerners—they included my relatives—suffered in the winter weather. You are the friend—the only friend—who offered to help me. Never have I met such a lovely person—before you. I pay the bills—she has all the fun.

Hyphen Is used in certain compound words. Examples: merry-go-round well-being check-in child-care hand-picked high-tech life-size mind-blowing Mother-in-law

Hyphen Used in compound adjectives before nouns. Examples: well-respected friendly-looking man well-known brown-eyed

Parenthesis Sets off additional information that is not essential. Examples: The documentary will air on television next month. (Check your local listings) At that point, you may want to consult with a professional. (Refer to the Resources chapter for a list of tax advisers.)

Parenthesis Parenthesis also enclose numbers or letters within a sentence. Examples: I expect five hundred dollars ($500). We need an emergency room doctor who can (1) think quickly, (2) treat patients respectfully, and (3) handle complaints from the public. She made a list of things to buy: (A) toothbrush, (B) clothes, (C) books.

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