Semi-colons & Colons
Semi-colons
1. Semi-colons join closely related independent clauses (an independent clause has a subject and
verb and can stand alone as a sentence). Complete sentences must go on both sides of the semicolon. Use the semi-colon to join sentences when the meaning is closely connected, when the
connection between them is obvious, when the clauses are joined by a conjunctive adverb
(however, therefore, etc.), or when the second sentence expands on or explains the first.
Examples:
Dragons eat helpless young children; brave knights eat dragons’ hearts for breakfast.
Chickens eat bugs; people eat chickens; therefore, people eat bugs.
2. Semi-colons separate items in a list when each item is especially long and/or contains internal
commas.
Example:
The dragon has purple shimmery scales, each one the size of a large pizza; yellow-green teeth as
large as organ pipes and as sharp as X-Acto knives; a sticky, hairy tongue with green gobs of
spit all over it; translucent violet wings, each one as large as an entire elephant; and steel-sharp
claws the color of mountain granite.
Colons
A complete sentence is always on the left of the colon. The colon is the equivalent of saying “for
example,” or “let me expand on that.” What follows the colon amplifies or explains what came before,
and can be a complete sentence, though it need not be: it could be a list or a phrase.
1. A colon can introduce a list.
Example: I love to do outdoor activities: hiking, rock climbing, and swimming in rivers and
lakes.
2. A colon can introduce an expansion or explanation of the sentence that precedes it.
Example:
When my boyfriend said, “I love you,” he really meant something else: “I like you a lot today
and wish you would kiss me.”
Example:
I had an amazing dream last night: A choir of singers in flowing red robes were all singing a
hauntingly beautiful melody especially for me.
Capitalization with colons: If a complete sentence follows the colon, capitalize the first word of that
sentence. If what follows the colon is not a complete sentence, do not capitalize it.
Common colon errors:
 Do not put a colon after “Include,” or “Including,” or “such as,” as the colon takes the place of
these words.
Wrong: My favorite birds include: crows, robins, thrushes, and goshawks.
Right: My favorite birds include crows, robins, thrushes, and goshawks.

Do not put a colon between a verb and its direct object.
Wrong: The teacher explained: how to use colons and how to use semi-colons.
Right: The teacher explained how to use colons and how to use semi-colons.

Do not put a colon between a linking verb and its subject complement.
Wrong: My mood is: grumpy, crabby, angry, sulky, and annoyed.
Right: My mood is grumpy, crabby, angry, sulky, and annoyed.
Section A: Which is correct? More than one answer may be correct. Or there may be no correct answer.
1.
a. The wind blows hard; the garbage cans blow over.
b. The wind blows hard; flying garbage, food for the pigeons.
c. The wind blows hard: flying garbage, food for the pigeons.
2.
a. The sun comes in at an acute angle through the high ceiling windows; hot air, not moving.
b. The sun comes in at an acute angle through the high ceiling windows; fans spin lazily, doing
little to cool the air.
3.
a. When I first met Toby; he was a starving street dog.
b. When I first met Toby, he was a starving street dog.
c. When I first met Toby, he was a starving street dog: ribs sticking out, matted fur, covered in
sores.
d. Toby, the street dog: All ribs and matted fur and sores.
4.
a. When I first met Toby, a starving street dog, he was covered in sores and his fur was all matted.
b. When I first met Toby, a starving street dog; he was covered in sores and his fur was all matted.
c. After living with me for a year: he’s healthy and sleek, playful and happy.
5.
a. I’m not going to do what you asked me; because you’re stupid and wrong.
b. I’m not going to do what you asked me because you’re stupid and wrong.
c. Because you’re stupid and wrong, I’m not going to do what you asked me.
6.
a. It’s a good philosophy to follow; it was probably developed through experience.
b. It’s a good philosophy to follow; developed through experience.
c. It’s a good philosophy, developed through experience; we should follow it.
7.
a. The statue appeared to be a complete replica of an ordinary shopping cart, but it was all gold.
b. The statue appeared to be a complete replica of an ordinary shopping cart; but it was all gold.
c. The statue appeared to be a complete replica of an ordinary shopping cart: but gold, all gold.
8.
a. The reasons I am rewarding you are: Your homework is perfect and you are a genius.
b. The reasons I am rewarding you: Your homework is perfect and you are a genius.
c. The reasons I am rewarding you include that your homework is perfect and you are a genius.
Section B: Compose sentences of your own as instructed.
9. Compose a sentence of your own in which you use a semi-colon to join two closely related
independent clauses.
10. Compose a sentence of your own in which you use semi-colons to separate items in a list where each
item is long or contains internal commas. In your sentence, introduce the list with an independent clause
and a colon.
11. Compose a sentence of your own in which you use a colon to introduce a short list.
12. Compose a sentence of your own in which you use a colon to introduce an explanation of the
statement before the colon in the sentence. (The colon joins two independent clauses, the second one
explaining something about the first.)