GRAMMAR #11 MARKS OF PUNCTUATION RULES
SEMICOLONS
 Join independent clauses that are closely related in thought.
Example: The rain finally stopped; a few rays of sunshine peeked through the clouds.
 Join independent clauses connected by a conjunctive adverb or transitional expression.
Example: The snowfall made traveling difficult; nevertheless, we continued on our trip.
Example: We ran out of gas; as a result, we were late to the concert.
 Join independent clauses that contain commas.
Example: Today, people can buy what they need from department stores, supermarkets,
and discount stores; but in colonial days, when such conveniences did not exist, people
depended on general stores and peddlers.
 When commas are used within one or more of the items in a series, use semicolons, rather than
commas, to separate the items in the series.
Example: Key air routes include Lisbon, Portugal; Rome, Italy; Frankfurt, Germany; and
Istanbul, Turkey.
COLONS
 Follow complete statements and explain information given in the previous clause.
Example: Bring the following supplies to class: texts, notebooks, and red pens.
Example: Car accidents are caused by a variety of situations: inexperience, inattention
and poor car maintenance.
Example: Lois felt that she has done something worthwhile: she had designed and sewn
her first dress.
WRONG: The emergency kit included: safety flares, jumper cables, and a flashlight.
Note: When a list comes immediately after a verb or a preposition, do not use
a colon.
 Introduce a long, formal statement or quotation.
Example: In The Art of the Novel Henry James wrote: “The house of fiction has…
 Placed between independent clauses when the second clause explains or restates the idea in
the first.
Example: These seat-covers are the most durable kind: they are reinforced with double
stitching and covered with a heavy plastic coating.
 Separate chapter and verse in scriptures; act, scene and line in plays; minutes and hour in time
and after the salutation of a formal business letter.
Example: Luke 2:4 (Scripture)
Example: Merchant of Venice 1:ii:3 (Play)
Example: 8:30 P.M. (Time)
Example: Dear Mr. Baxter: (Letter)
HYPHENS
 Join certain compound words. Check the dictionary if uncertain.
Example: Merry-go-round, mother-in-law, go-getter, jack-o-lantern
 Join words working together as a single adjective.
Example: Haley is a well-known author.
Example: They endured a hand-to-mouth existence while attending college.
 Connect words representing numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine and fractions such as fourfifths.
 Are used with prefixes ex, self, and all and with the suffix elect.
Example: Ex-president, self-confidence, all-conference, senator-elect.
APOSTROPHES
 Form the singular possessive by adding’s
the cat of Jill = Jill’s cat
Note: In words ending in “s” simply add an apostrophe Sophocles’ irony
 Form the plural possessive in words ending in “s” add an apostrophe Millers’
 Form the plural possessive in words not ending in “s” by adding an apostrophe + s
Example: women’s conference
Example: team’s playing schedule
 Forms the possessive of a compound word or name of an organization by adding an apostrophe
to only the last word.
Example: Father-in-law’s gloves
Example: Taylor, Sanders, and Weissman’s law offices
 Form the possessive of each noun in a word group showing individual possession of similar
items.
Example: Jack’s and Tom’s sweaters
 Form the plural of letters and numbers
1’s A’s
 Replace missing letters in contractions.
don’t won’t can’t
BE CAREFUL NOT TO CONFUSE CONTRACTIONS WITH POSSESSIVE PRONOUNS
Contractions
Possessive pronouns
they’re
their
you’re
your
who’s
whose
Name______________
Date______________
PRACTICE
SEMICOLONS
1. William Penn Adair Rogers was born in 1879 in Oologah Indian Territory,
which is now Oklahoma and he spent his childhood on his father’s ranch, a
prosperous holding of about sixty thousand acres.
2. As a youth Will Rogers liked to learn and practice rope tricks he often could be
found roping instead of attending to his chores.
3. Rogers greatly enjoyed earning his living by doing what he most loved- roping
consequently, he decided to take his act to New York City’s vaudeville theaters.
4. Mrs. Williams had resided in Laie Hawaii, San Diego California, and Dallas
Texas.
5. One side was willing to negotiate however, the other side refused.
COLONS
1. Thomas Jefferson had many talents he was a writer, a politician, an architect,
and an inventor.
2. Prior to 1722 the Iroquois Confederation consisted of five Native America
nations Mohawk, Onsida, Onondago, Cayage, and Seneca.
3. Patrick Henry concluded his revolutionary speech before the Virginia House of
Burgesses with these ringing words “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet…give me
liberty or give me death!”
4. The guide’s instructions were explicit stay with the group and walk slowly.
5. Please read the following passage in Macbeth 1 ii 1-45.
HYPHENS AND APOSTROPHES
1. Its a part time job.
2. There’s not our’s
3. Trans Alaskan
4. Siouxs land
5. Roz and Denise computer services
6. A self appointed critics worst enemy is himself.
7. The womens’ department is eight-five percent casual wear.
8. Whose coming to the track meet?