The Semicolon and Colon: How to use them correctly and add elegance and pizzazz to your writing so as to impress your English teachers!

The semicolon functions in 2 different ways: 1.It connects two independent clauses (or complete sentences with subject + verb/predicate.  In this function, the semicolon is like a subtle period.  The semicolon, when used correctly, can correct a comma splice (two independent clauses joined by a comma).

Examples of first function:  I tell Alice everything; she’s my best friend.  Odysseus is a great hero; he conquers odds most of us would not even try to face.

In the following samples, notice how the two clauses are linked by the semicolon, followed by a conjunctive adverb (however, thus, therefore, nevertheless, etc.)  Romeo feels responsible for his friend’s death; therefore, he must fight Tybalt.  I forgave her; yet, I wanted to borrow that shirt.  Jan always scores higher on the verbal section of tests; however, she prefers math to English and history.

2. The other use for the semicolon is to separate items in a complicated series that already contains commas.  This function is not often used, but comes in handy every now and then.

Examples of second function:  Dr. Dunn’s three favorite cities are Edinburgh, Scotland; San Francisco, California; and Venice, Italy.  My dad asked who you were; what you were doing in Boston; and why I wanted to go to that concert, three hours away.

More Examples of Correct Semicolon Usage:  Suddenly it struck me; I was becoming my mother.  Strangely, we loved that tenement apartment; it was the place our life together began.  The movie we saw last week was great for the most part; however, it moved a little slowly in the middle.  The contestants for the pie-eating world championships came from Geneva, Switzerland; Hoboken, New Jersey; Sydney, Australia; and Montreal, Canada.

The semicolon is NOT used to:  Introduce a quotation  Introduce a list (The colon is used for these tasks!)

The colon can function in the following ways: 1.To introduce a quotation:  Robert Frost’s narrator explains that he made the less popular choice: “I took the road less traveled by.”

2. To introduce a list or an example:  The mugger took three things: his wallet, his watch, and his swimming medal.  Sam got good grades in three classes: math, English, and French.

DO NOT use the colon:  Between the subject and verb or subject complement: - My favorite sports are: football, soccer, and tennis. - My favorite sports are: football, soccer, and tennis.  Between a preposition and its object: - Henry has no fear of: heights, speed, or temperature extremes. - Henry has no fear of: heights, speed, or temperature extremes.  By placing it after for example, such as, including: - Carrie has visited several developing countries, such as: Guatemala, Haiti, and Somalia. - Carrie has visited several developing countries, such as: Guatemala, Haiti, and Somalia.  By placing it before a quotation that is not an independent clause: - By the end of the play, Macbeth sees all of life as merely: “a tale told by an idiot.” - By the end of the play, Macbeth sees all of life as merely: “a tale told by an idiot.”

Closing thoughts:  Do not overuse either the colon or the semicolon.  When used correctly, and sparingly, they add sophistication and elegance to your work and your writing will come across as fluid and refined.  Practice using both, but sparingly at first, until you gain confidence and become adept at including these punctuation marks in your writing.  Have fun and good luck!

Sources:  Hamilton, Sharon. Solving Common Writing Problems. Portland, Maine: J. Weston Walch,  Stein, Susan. Grammar, Mechanics, & Usage: A Comprehensive Guide to Usage and Style. Portland, Maine: J. Weston Walch, 1998.