1. Colons and Dashes

2. Colons Introduce a list Introduce an explanation Colon must follow a complete sentence/independent clause Does not have to be followed by complete sentence

3. Colon- introduce a list Incorrect- Every winter, I enjoy: skiing, playing ice hockey, and sledding down steep hills. Correct- Every winter, I enjoy taking part in the following activities: skiing, playing ice hockey, and sledding down steep hills.

4. Colon- introduce explanation Incorrect- The Amazon parrot does not make an ideal pet for most people because: it requires much more attention and entertainment than many other animals do. Correct- The Amazon parrot does not make an ideal pet for most people for one major reason: it requires much more attention and affection than many other animals do.

5. Colon Equality When introducing an explanation, all of the following punctuation marks are ALSO acceptable. Semicolon (;) Period (.) Dash (--)

6. Dashes Set off non-essential clause Introduce a list or explanation Create a deliberate pause

7. Dash- non-essential clause London—which is a very old city, has many new buildings. Correct: London—which is a very old city—has many new buildings.

8. List/Explanation I enjoy participating in the following activities during the winter— skiing, playing ice hockey, and sledding down steep hills. The Amazon parrot does not make an ideal pet for most people—it requires more attention and affection than many other animals do. ACT WILL NEVER MAKE YOU CHOOSE BETWEEN COLON AND DASH

9. Dash- Create Pause Deliberately interrupt statement to create a dramatic pause. After eight hours of driving, we finally arrived home—and that was when we discovered that we had forgotten to close all of the windows.