Period 6 Turn in late work Comma practice (Quiz Monday) Revise thesis statements (due Monday) How to create outline (due Tuesday) Notes on colons and semi-colons

Colons and Semicolons

Five rules for using a colon Rule 1: use a colon to introduce lists, extra information, or quotations when preceded by an independent clause (complete sentence) Examples: 1. Barbara gave three reasons why she was not going: it was stormy, she didn't like loud music, and she preferred the company of her cats to us. 2. I finally found the perfect food: chocolate!

More examples: 3. When Daryl finally appeared, he gave the definitive answer to the question of where the lost treasure had been found: "Nowhere, it never existed." 4. Glenda Riley notes that the conditions on the prairie differed for men and women: “Women's shared responsibilities, life styles, and sensibilities constituted a female frontier....”

Rule 1: Caution The colon must be preceded by an independent clause. Incorrect example: I bought the toys for : Janet, Elaine, and George, my cat. Correct: I bought the toys for Janet, Elaine, and George, my cat.

Rule 1: Caution DO NOT use a colon after “include”. Incorrect example: There were several important clauses in the new law, including : the clause to forbid parking, the clause to mandate that all doctors be on 24-hour call, and the clause that made blood donations mandatory. Correct: There were several important clauses in the new law, including the clause to forbid parking, the clause to mandate that all doctors be on 24-hour call, and the clause that made blood donations mandatory.

Rule 2 Use a colon when a second, closely related independent clause clarifies or elaborates on the first one. Examples: The scenario for the crime was an old one: the butler killed the master in the library with a candlestick. Lisa became the woman we thought she would become: she won an Olympic gold medal and found a cure for cancer.

Rule 3 3. Use a colon to separate titles and subtitles. Example: Wanda read Beneath the Oceans: A Story of Love and Fish before it even hit the best-seller list.

Rule 4 Use a colon in business letter salutations. Example: Dear Mr. Tom Welling:

Rule 5 Use a colon to indicate times and ratios. Examples: Mix the salt with water in a 6:1 ratio. We arrived at 7:10. Caution: Space once between a colon and the NEXT word, when the colon is used between words. Do not space between numerals and a colon when a colon is used to mark time or ratios.

Semicolon Rules THERE ARE ONLY TWO RULES!

RULE 1 Use a semicolon in place of a period to separate two independent clauses. Examples: Call me tomorrow; I will give you my answer then. I have paid my dues; therefore, I expect all the privileges listed in the contract.

Rule 2 Use the semicolon to separate items in a series when one or more of the items contain commas. (This is an advanced version of comma rule 3.) Example: This conference has people who have come from Boise, Idaho; Los Angeles, California; and Nashville, Tennessee.

Period 3 Turn in any/all revised source notes Colon, semicolon, and comma practice Quiz Tuesday Revise thesis statements Essay outline (due Wednesday)