UNDERSTANDING SEMI-COLONS
For the consultant: This lesson plan is designed for students who have successfully
completed a number of lessons with the Centre. Once students are familiar with the basic
rules of writing, they may be eager to explore some of the nuances of academic writing
specifically. This lesson is, therefore, more about style than it is the basic rules of English.
Teaching students to use semi-colons and colons in their writing is part of the stylistic
process. However, you should encourage students to read journals and as much English
material as possible. This will expose them to different styles of writing, allowing them to
‘access’ their own voice using the tools that you have equipped them with.
By the end of this lesson you should be able to:
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Identify what semi-colons and colons are.
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Understand and use them according to their different functions.
Introduction: SEMI-COLONS
The semi-colon indicates a longer pause in a sentence than a comma. It has 3 main
purposes:
1.
The semi-colon separates two related independent clauses. Independent clauses
contain a subject and a verb; therefore, they can stand as a sentence on their own.
Example: He turned eighteen; he was eligible to vote.
In the above example the two independent clauses (“He turned eighteen” and “He was
eligible to vote”) relate to each other, because you are eligible to vote when you turn
eighteen. Therefore, it is possible for both to be separated by a semi-colon.
Activity 1
Use a semi-colon to separate the independent clauses in the following sentences:
1. In March, the Edenvale Valley erupted observers described the fighting as full-scale
civil war.
2. Niccolo Machiavelli wrote The Prince Mandela wrote A Long Walk to Freedom.
3. Mosca says the first class performs all the political functions the second class is
directed and controlled by the first.
2.
The semi-colon also separates phrases in a complicated list.
Example: In South Africa, some of the Bills that come before Parliament are: ordinary Bills
that do not affect the provinces, which can only be introduced in the National Assembly
(NA); ordinary Bills that affect the provinces, which can be introduced in the NA or the
National Council of Provinces (NCOP); and money Bills, which also can only be introduced in
the national assembly.
In the above example, the semi-colons help to separate the phrases more clearly. The semicolon separates each Bill and where they are introduced in parliament from the other Bills.
Imagine how confusing the sentence would be if commas separated the phrases instead of
semi-colons!
Activity 2
Use a semi-colon to separate the items that form part of a list in the following sentences:
1. The study of comparative politics allows for the exploration of previous
scholars’ ideas it highlights the successes and failures of these ideas and it
assists in the evaluation and criticism of contemporary political analysis.
2. Several aspects affected the transition of power, such as the erosion of the
authority of the apartheid regime the stalemate between the NP and the
ANC which led both parties to start negotiations and the eventual
implementation of the new democratic rules.
3. The following is a list of some of E. Black’s “phases of modernization”: first,
the challenge of modernity, in which the traditional society confronts
modern ideas second, the consolidation of modernizing leadership, leaders
in favour of modernisation gaining power, often through revolution and
third, economic and social transformation, in which the society progresses
from a rural to an urban way of life.
4.
The semi-colon comes before a conjunctive adverb. Conjunctive adverbs connect
two clauses.
The following are examples of conjunctive adverbs commonly found in academic writing
however
Therefore
also
Furthermore
in addition
Consequently
thus
Then
Example: Athens did not believe Socrates’ claims; therefore, he was sentenced to death.
In the above example the conjunctive adverb “therefore” connects the clause “Athens did
not believe Socrates’ claims” with the clause “he was sentenced to death”.
NB: conjunctive adverbs often receive a comma directly afterward, as seen in the above example.
For more information on the use of commas refer to the lesson plan ‘Commas’
Activity 3
Use a semi-colon before the conjunctive adverb in the following sentences:
1. Leaders are unable to satisfy popular expectations consequently legitimacy is lost.
2. The lecturer was sick thus the lecture was cancelled.
3. Political elites often respond in an uncompromising way to pressures for change,
resorting to force to maintain their position however this leads to further loss of
legitimacy.
Introduction: Understanding Colons
Try not to confuse colons with semi-colons. Here are 5 functions of colons:
1. Colons are used after a sentence to introduce a list.
Example: You will come across these terms in this Introduction to Politics course:
capitalism, communism, socialism, liberalism and fascism.
In the above example the colon follows the sentence “You will come across these
terms in this Introduction to Politics course.” The colon introduces the list of political
ideologies “capitalism, communism, socialism, liberalism and fascism.”
NB: Do not use a colon to precede a list if it does not follow a SENTENCE. I.e. the
following would be incorrect:
The book included quotes from: Machiavelli, Weber and Marx.
“The book included quotes from” is not a sentence that can stand on its own;
therefore, a colon should not be used before the list of political philosophers.
2. Colons are used to show a direct quotation.
Example: The following is an extract of Mosca’s:
In all societies … two classes of people appear – a class that rules and a class that is
ruled.
3. Colons introduce an idea that follows what was written before the colon.
Example: Now that you have gathered your information, you have only one thing left
to do: write the essay.
4. Colons appear in in-text referencing
Example: “Whether US power will underpin or undermine humanitarian intervention
is uncertain,” (Weiss, 2004:149).
5. Colons are used in the telling of time
Example: The politics lecture starts at 15:00.
Activity
Place a colon in the correct place of each sentence.
1. Chapter one of the National Peace Accord sought democratic ideals: “The
establishment of a multi-party democracy in South Africa is our common goal.
Democracy is impossible in a climate of violence, intimidation and fear.”
2. The new South Africa’s laws were compiled into one, democratic document: the
Constitution.
3. Democracy entails several key characteristics: participation, accountability and good
governance.
4. “This democratizing effect in the sense of giving voice to individual opinions in
international processes, however, does not hold for all citizens, since in some states
the openness of the Internet and its public accessibility is under state control,”
(Shapiro, 1999: 24).
5. Many South Africans lined up before 05:00 to cast their first vote on 27 April, 1994.
REFERENCES
Bill, J and Hargrave, R. 1981. “The Political Elite Approach” in Comparative Politics.
(Washington, DC: University Press of America), pp.148.
Bruehl, T and Rittberger, V. 2001. “From International to Global Governance: Actors,
Collective Decision-Making, and the UN in the world of the 21st Century” in Global
Governance and the United Nations System. (Tokyo: UNU Press), pp.8.
Sisk, T. 1995. Democratisation in South Africa: The Elusive Social Contract. (Princeton:
Princeton University Press) 14-89
The Legislative Process – http://www.pmg.org.za/node/17034
Weiss, T. 2003. “The Illusion of UN Security Council Reform”, Washington Quarterly.
Vol.26:4, pp.149.