The Other Punctuations

Often misunderstood and misused Used correctly and creatively Can create strong writing and assist in sentence variation and flow Used incorrectly Create confusion, disrupt flow, and mess up basic sentence structure

Colon looks like this : Only has five uses Use a colon when you have a list of items following a full sentence. The student was excellent in many areas: English, Math, History, Science, and Art. Notice that without the list the sentence can stand on its own. Only when a list follows a COMPLETE SENTENCE can a colon be used. When introducing a formal statement or quote. My 9th grade Sunday School teacher always told gave us this advice: You never know whos watching you.

Use a colon when something from the original sentence needs to be restated for emphasis. The power company turned off your electricity for one simple reason: You havent paid your bill in months. Notice: Each statement begins with a capital letter. Both must be FULL SENTENCES otherwise you cannot use a colon in this situation. Use a colon in a formal business letter rather than a comma in the salutation Dear Mr. Hudson: Use a colon when writing the time 4:37

Semicolons look like this ; Semicolons have two uses Use a semicolon to separate two independent clauses without a coordinating conjunction (FANBOYS!) Im going out; however, Ill be home by nine. Im going out, but Ill be home by nine. Im going out; but Ill be home by nine.

Use a semicolon when you have a list that includes commas The meeting attendees included Mrs. Perkins, the kindergarten teacher; Mr. Shumate, the sixth grade teacher; Ms. Wallace, the PE teacher; and Mrs. Barber, the principal. The meeting attendees included Mrs. Perkins, the kindergarten teacher; Mr. Shumate, Ms. Wallace, and Mrs. Barber. The meeting attendees included Mrs. Perkins, the kindergarten teacher; Mr. Shumate; Ms. Wallace; and Mrs. Barber.

The dash looks like this – Only use the dash to interject and draw attention to it/explain or clarify something and dont want to come across as formal I looked up, and there he was–the same hot guy from the gym and the party. We made eye contact–the hot guy and I–and he started walking my way. There was only one possible word to describe how I felt at that moment–mush.

Colons, Semicolons, and Dashes are useful punctuation. They provide variety and have very specific uses that help a writer write complex and varied sentences. Essentially, they make your writing less boring! When used correctly, they can provide your writing a nice boost. When used incorrectly they can really haunt you!