Using Semicolons and Colons Shelley Rasinen

Semicolons to separate main clauses  Use a semicolon to separate main clauses that are not joined by a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, yet, and for). Ex. Claes Oldenburg designs sculptures and monuments of familiar objects; his sculpture Hamburger with Pickle and Tomato Attached is one of his best-known works.

Semicolons to separate main clauses  Use a semicolon to separate main clauses joined by a conjunctive adverb (however, therefore, nevertheless, moreover, furthermore, and consequently) or by a transitional expression such as for example or that is. Ex. Most members of Congress favor the new tax bill; however, the president does not support it.

Semicolons and Commas  Use a semicolon to separate the items in a series when these items contain commas. Ex. Three contemporary writers who have helped capture the African American experience are Nikki Giovanni, a poet; Alice Walker, a novelist; and Lorraine Hansberry, a playwright.

Semicolons and Clauses  Use a semicolon to separate two main clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction when such clauses already contain several commas. Ex. Langston Hughes, perhaps the most famous figure of the Harlem Renaissance, wrote poetry, fiction, music, and drama; but he is also remembered as a patron of the arts, a man who nurtured the careers of others.

Use a colon before a list of items, especially after expressions like as follows and the following.  Ex. Central America comprises seven countries: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

 Do not use a colon before a list that serves as a direct object or an object of preposition.  Ex. We collected blankets, canned goods, medical supplies, and clothing for the flood victims.

 Use a colon before a long, formal statement or quotation.  Ex. The Gettysburg Address, delivered by President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War, begins with these words: “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”

 Use a colon between independent clauses when the second clause explains or restates the idea of the first.  Ex. A cutting word is worse than a bowstring: a cut may heal, but the cut of the tongue does not.

 Use a colon between the hour and the minute.  Ex. 8:00 A.M.  Use a colon between a chapter and verse in referring to passages from the Bible.  Ex. Jeremiah 29:11

 Use a colon between a title and subtitle.  Ex. “Ghosts and Voices: Writing from Obsession”  Use a colon after the salutation of a business letter.  Ex. Dear Sir or Madam: