WRT333

Semi-colon | Colon

Syllabus | Table of Pages | Punctuation Assignment

Note: This page is based on Fowler and Aaron (2001)

Semicolon

Semicolons separate equal and balanced sentence elements, usually main clauses, or items in a series.

Main clauses not joined by a coordinating conjunction: Main clauses contain a subject and a predicate (verb and any completing phrases) and do not begin with a subordinating word. When you join main clauses, you can 1) insert a comma and a coordinating conjunction (or 2) insert a semicolon.

Subordinating words reduce a clause to a single part of speech: an adjective, an adverb, or a noun. Because it modifies or names something, a subordinate clause cannot stand alone as a sentence.
Subordinating conjunctions: Here are some common ones and the relationships they convey (note that some words fit more than one relation):

Cause or effect	Concession	Condition	Comparison / Contrast	Purpose	Space / Time
as	although	even if	as	in order that	after
because	as if	if	as if	so that	as long as
in order that	even if	if only	as though	that	before
since	even though	provided	rather than		now that
so that	though	since	than		once
		unless	whereas		since
		when	whether		till / until
		whenever	while		when / whenever
		whether			where / wherever
					while

Colon

The colon is mainly used to introduce. Words following the colon are meant to explain or amplify. Used this way, it is always preceded by a complete main clause (subject, verb, and without a subordinating word). Never use more than one colon in a sentence, followed by the element it introduces.

Colons introduce concluding explanations, series, appositives, or a long or formal quotation. Sometimes the concluding explanation is preceded by "the following," or "as follow."
Southern food is really diverse and includes the following: gumbo, grits, collard greens, and black-eyed peas.

Comma, semicolon, or colon?

Consider this passage, from the Washington Post (" 'Don't ask, don't tell' is repealed by Senate; bill awaits Obama's signing," Ed O'Keefe, Dec. 18, 2010):

"Yet public sentiment toward gays in the military has since shifted: In May 1993, just 44 percent of Americans believed gays who disclosed their sexual orientation should be allowed to serve in the military; now, 77 percent of Americans think so, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll released this month."

What governs the use of the colon, semi-colon, and commas in this (single!) sentence? Here are the guidelines from Fowler and Aaron (2001):

Comma—separates both equal and unequal elements
- main clauses when linked by a coordinating conjunction.
  We wanted to go to the concert, but both of us had to work that day.
- subordinate information that is part of (nonessential modifier) or attached to (introductory element) a main clause.
  Whether or not you like them, you'll have to agree that the Indigo Girls, who come from Georgia, are accomplished musicians.
Semicolon—separates equal and balanced sentence elements, almost always complete main clauses. Often the first clause creates an expectation, and the second fulfills it.
- complementary main clauses that are not linked by a coordinating conjunction.
  We are going to the concert; Ellis Paul is one of our favorites.
- complementary main clauses that are related by a conjunctive adverb or other transitional expression (e.g., therefore, however).
  Ellis Paul is a great performer; therefore, we always try to go to his local performances.
Colon— separates unequal sentence elements, such as statements and explanations or introductions and quotations. The first element must be a complete main clause.
- separates a main clause from a following explanation or summary, which may or may not be a main clause.
  The University spent $750,000 on its branding initiative: "Think big, we do," was one of the results.

Items in a series that are long or contain commas. When a series is long and the individual items contain commas, separate the items with semicolons.

"The list of cultivated vegetables native to the Western Hemisphere includes maize; beans; squash; potatoes, both white and sweet; peanuts; manioc, the source of tapioca; the cacao, whence came chocolate and cocoa; sunflowers, a source of food today in northern Europe; tomatoes; peppers, sweet and hot; pimento; eggplant; several melons; and other vegetable foods." (Howard Russell. 1980. Indian New England Before the Mayflower. Univ. New England Pr. 284 p.)

Reference

H. Ramsey Fowler and Jane E. Aaron. 2001. The LIttle, Brown Handbook. 8^th ed. Longman. 968 p.