Mastering English Grammar - Semicolons and Colons

SEMICOLONS AND COLONS
Book 8 of the MASTERING ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Series
David Moeller
Copyright © David Moeller, 2021
All rights reserved.

CONTENTS
General Introduction: Mastering English Grammar
Introduction to Book 8: Semicolons and Colons
Lesson 1: The Semicolon
Lesson 2: Mirror-Image Sentences
Lesson 3: Conjunctive Adverbs
Lesson 4: Study of Conjunctive Adverbs
Lesson 5: Short Conjunctive Adverbs
Lesson 6: The Moveable Conjunctive Adverb
Lesson 7: Avoiding Misplaced Semicolons
Lesson 8: Semicolon Review
Lesson 9: A Colon and a List
Lesson 10: A Colon and a Sentence
Lesson 11: A Colon and a Phrase or Clause
Lesson 12: A Colon and a Short Phrase or Single Word
Lesson 13: Answering Questions
Lesson 14: Semicolons in Lists
Lesson 15: Semicolons with Coordinating Conjunctions
Lesson 16: Semicolons with More Than Two Sentences
Lesson 17: Colons with Quotations
Lesson 18: Colons with Titles and Less-Than-Sentences
Semicolons and Colons Glossary of Terms
Test Questions
Test Part 1
Test Part 2
Test Part 3
Test Part 4
Test Part 5
Test Part 6
Test Part 7
Test Part 8
Titles in the Mastering English Grammar Series
GENERAL INTRODUCTION: MASTERING
ENGLISH GRAMMAR
The nine titles in the Mastering English Grammar series can be subdivided
into three books on the parts of speech, three on sentence structure, and three
on punctuation:
Parts of Speech
Book 1: Nouns and Adjectives
Book 2: Verbs and Adverbs
Book 3: Pronouns, Prepositions, and Conjunctions
Sentence Structure
Book 4: Subjects and Verbs
Book 5: Compound Sentences
Book 6: Complex Sentences
Punctuation
Book 7: Commas
Book 8: Semicolons and Colons
Book 9: Parentheses, Brackets, Dashes, Ellipses, Italics, and Hyphens
What sets this series apart from other grammar books is that instead of trying
to include all that can be said on the topic of grammar (the data-dump
approach), it focuses on those concepts that promise a higher return on
investment (ROI). In other words, as much as possible, the books in this
series aim to translate the study of grammar into more competent reading and
writing.
The term generative refers to a study of grammar or rhetoric that helps us
achieve in writing what we wouldn’t have been able to achieve otherwise.
Generative grammar is grammar at its most practical—it’s grammar we can
use. Such generative material has been sprinkled throughout the pages of the
books in this series.
The nine books in this series constitute a writer’s grammar. The Mastering
that appears in the series title is not a reference to earning high scores on
grammar quizzes; instead, it refers to increasing our ability to understand the
texts of others and to formulate words, phrases, and clauses while writing.
Ultimately, we will want to use the knowledge we gain to generate more
complex structures as we write.
All nine books in this series contain exercises (called Your Turn), a book-
ending Test Questions section, and answers to all exercise and test questions.
Ultimately, the aim of each title is to equip you with some knowledge and
some practical skills to add to your arsenal of writing strategies.
E-Book Vs. Print
Because the nine titles in the series contain exercises and test questions, a
discussion of the difference between an e-book and a print book is really a
discussion of writing out answers vs. working out answers in our heads. The
e-books in this series are designed to accommodate the limitations of e-
readers. For example, to reduce scrolling, answers follow immediately upon
the heels of questions. When access to reference material—like word lists, for
example—is necessary, that material will reappear in those places where it is
needed.
Print versions, on the other hand, leave room for writing out answers or
marking up text. And in the print versions, the answers are in the back of the
book.
INTRODUCTION TO BOOK 8: SEMICOLONS
AND COLONS
Welcome to Book 8: Semicolons and Colons, a book that teaches how
semicolons and colons can be used to create more stylish sentences.
Opportunities for using semicolons and colons appear on a regular basic, but
if we’re not clear on how they work, we are likely to continue living a
semicolonless and colonless existence. The following lessons are designed to
solve this problem.
Included in the e-book are lessons on how to use semicolons with closely-
related sentences, mirror-image sentences, conjunctive adverbs, coordinating
conjunctions, and items in a series.
You’ll also learn the meaning of colons (yes, colons make statements of their
own). Once this meaning is understood, you can begin using colons more
regularly—colons are far more than “the mark that precedes lists.”
Armed with the skills taught in this book, you’ll begin making extensive use
of that semicolon and colon key on your keyboard—and your right pinky will
thank you.
Lesson 1: The Semicolon
The semicolon (;) is placed between two closely related sentences. Of
course, any two sentences that appear side-by-side within a paragraph must
be closely related—or they wouldn’t be placed one next to the other.
Therefore, it is nearly true to say that semicolons can appear wherever
periods appear.
Here is the pattern for using semicolons:
Sentence; sentence.
Sentence (;) sentence.
The first example above is, of course, how semicolons actually get typed. But
because we are studying semicolons and want to emphasize them, our
semicolons will appear boldfaced and inside parentheses, as in the second
example.
The word after the semicolon does not get capitalized—unless, of course, that
word is a proper noun that would get capitalized anyway.
Examples:
In 1960, my parents rented an old family home for fifty dollars (;) we
moved out of town to save on rent.
The field across the road from our house seems to be always burning (;)
the man there is in the habit of burning his field down to its roots.
Study the two patterns:
Sentence (;) sentence.
Sentence. Sentence.
The first pattern above gives us a compound sentence. The second pattern is
simply two separate sentences.
As we work our way through these lessons, we will encounter many patterns
like the ones above. For the sake of clarity, we will be distinguishing left-
hand from right-hand sentences:
left-hand sentence (;) right-hand sentence
Note: In books 5 and 6 of the Mastering English Grammar series, rather than
left-hand and right-hand sentence, we use the grammatical term independent
clause. Books 5 and 6 are studies of sentence structure, but here we are
studying punctuation. Hence, calling the left-hand and right-hand word
groups sentences instead of clauses will serve our purposes just fine.
YOUR TURN 1
Determine where semicolons would be placed in the following sentences. In
each sentence, the proper place for the semicolon is where the left-hand
sentence ends and the right-hand sentence begins.
1. Her bottles of bluing gather dust in the basement I haven’t used them, but
can’t throw them out.
1. One of my first visual memories is of my mother pulling clothes from the
sky she had a line on a pulley that ran from a window in our house near
the naval gunnery.
2. I was a star walking around town with him he knew someone every half
block and introduced me like a celebrity.
3. That book infected me it was infectious.
4. I rolled quickly into the kitchen, reaching for the telephone he had hung
up.
ANSWERS 1
1. Her bottles of bluing gather dust in the basement (;) I haven’t used them,
but can’t throw them out.
2. One of my first visual memories is of my mother pulling clothes from the
sky (;) she had a line on a pulley that ran from a window in our house near
the naval gunnery.
3. I was a star walking around town with him (;) he knew someone every
half block and introduced me like a celebrity.
4. That book infected me (;) it was infectious.
5. I rolled quickly into the kitchen, reaching for the telephone (;) he had hung
up.
Lesson 2: Mirror-Image Sentences
In the previous lesson we learned that semicolons show the close relationship
between two sentences in a way that a period cannot.
In most cases, the idea of closely related is a subjective one; different writers
are likely to vary on what they consider to be closely related.
However, there is one situation in which the idea of closely related is so
strong that choosing a semicolon over a period is mandatory. We will call
this situation the mirror image sentence.
In their simplest form, mirror image sentences look something like this:
person A does this (;) person B does that
thing A does this (;) thing B does that
Note that with mirror-image sentences, the two sides share the same content,
the same grammatical structure, or both.
Here are a couple examples:
mirror image: Her older sisters wash dishes and laugh (;) her mother, my
grandmother Lucille, sits on the couch and complains about the
engagement.
The sisters do this; the mother does that.
mirror image: For the allegory, the Cave corresponds to the realm of
belief (;) the World of Day corresponds to the realm of knowledge.
The Cave corresponds to this; the World of Day corresponds to that.
Again, notice the balance, the repetition of key words, and the teeter-totter-
like effect of the two mirror-like sides of the sentence.
YOUR TURN 2
In the Your Turn you are given left-hand sentences. For each, you create a
right-hand sentence that mirrors the left-hand sentence.
1. A sign is placed next to a statue of a gorilla (;) . . . [To get you started, use
this template: a ____ is placed next to a statue of a ____.]
2. I want the robots to clean behind the armoire (;) . . .
3. If they answered the riddle correctly, the Sphinx allowed them to proceed
on their way (;) . . .
4. One side will make you larger (;) . . .
5. The wife loves the birds that flock to their butterfly gardens (;) . . .
POSSIBLE ANSWERS 2
1. A sign is placed next to a statue of a gorilla (;) a flower pot is placed next
to a statue of a crocodile.
2. I want the robots to clean behind the armoire (;) I want the visitors to
clean around the knick-knack case.
3. If they answered the riddle correctly, the Sphinx allowed them to proceed
on their way (;) if they answered incorrectly, the Sphinx devoured them.
4. One side will make you larger (;) the other side will make you smaller.
5. The wife loves the birds that flock to their butterfly gardens (;) the
husband loves the birds that nest in the fruit trees.
Lesson 3: Conjunctive Adverbs
The conjunctive adverbs show logical connections between pairs of
sentences. And, of course, if two sentences are logically connected, they must
be closely related. As a result, when it comes to connecting sentences with
conjunctive adverbs, the semicolon is the default punctuation mark.
Here is a list of conjunctive adverbs:
besides, consequently, finally, first, for example, for instance, furthermore,
hence, however, instead, later, likewise, meanwhile, moreover,
nevertheless, next, now, otherwise, still, subsequently, then, therefore, thus
Here is the original closely related sentence pattern from Lesson 1, followed
by our new sentence pattern with a conjunctive adverb included:
sentence (;) sentence
sentence (;) CONJUNCTIVE ADVERB (,) sentence
Note the conventional punctuation for conjunctive adverbs: a semicolon to
the left and a comma to the right.
Here are a couple examples of the conjunctive adverb pattern in action:
The backbone of virtually every essay in these collections is the complete,
well-formed English sentence (;) NEVERTHELESS (,) I found 505 sentence
fragments in the fifty essays.
Bandwagon appeals argue that because others think or do something, we
should, too (;) FOR EXAMPLE (,) an advertisement for a rifle association
suggests that 67 percent of voters support laws permitting concealed
weapons, and you should, too.
YOUR TURN 3
In numbers 1 and 2, you are given the left-hand sentence and the conjunctive
adverb. You create a right-hand sentence that fits logically with what you are
given.
1. First, to the praises of Dionysos, he added stories of famous heroes or
gods; THEN [you create the right-hand sentence]
2. For a small minority of students, no number of suspensions will change
behavior; HOWEVER, [you create the right-hand sentence]
In numbers 3 and 4, you are given the right-hand sentence and the
conjunctive adverb. You create a left-hand sentence that fits logically with
what you are given.
3. [you create the left-hand sentence]; INSTEAD, he had stayed out in the
fields, holding the weapon in his hand, aiming it now and then at some
imaginary foe.
4. [you create the left-hand sentence]; FURTHERMORE, he learned that he was
not the son of the king and queen of Corinth, but rather the son of Laius
and Jocasta.
POSSIBLE ANSWERS 3
1. First, to the praises of Dionysos, he added stories of famous heroes or
gods; THEN he created masks for the actors to wear.
2. For a small minority of students, no number of suspensions will change
behavior; HOWEVER, for the majority of students, suspension serves as a
stern wake-up call.
3. Dave should have gone inside when he was called for dinner; INSTEAD,
he had stayed out in the fields, holding the weapon in his hand, aiming it
now and then at some imaginary foe.
4. Oedipus learned that the man he had killed on the road was actually
his father; FURTHERMORE, he learned that he was not the son of the king
and queen of Corinth, but rather the son of Laius and Jocasta.
Lesson 4: Study of Conjunctive Adverbs
In order to use conjunctive adverbs correctly, we must understand their
meanings and functions. A close study the of conjunctive adverbs reveals to
us that many of the words share similar meanings.
These words indicate sequence or time:
sequence of time: finally, first, later, meanwhile, next, now, subsequently,
then
These words indicate that the right-hand sentence contradicts the left-hand
sentence:
contradiction: however, instead, nevertheless, still
These words indicate that the right-hand sentence offers a thought that is
similar or additional to the left-hand sentence:
similarity: besides, furthermore, likewise, moreover
These words indicate that the left-hand sentence causes the right-hand
sentence:
causation: consequently, hence, therefore, thus
These words indicate that the right-hand sentence is an example of the left-
hand sentence:
example: for example, for instance
YOUR TURN 4
Part 1
What follows are five compound sentences with their conjunctive adverbs
missing. Read each. As you do, determine which of the logical relationships
listed in the bullet points above (and repeated inside brackets below) best
describes the relationship between the left-hand and right-hand sentences.
Each relationship gets used once.
1. Good neighbors respect one another’s property (;) _____ (,) good farmers
maintain their fences in order to keep their livestock from wandering onto
neighboring farms. [sequence of time; contradiction; similarity;
causation; example]
2. Major characters are likely to have more than one motivation (;) _____ (,)
in Great Expectations, Pip is motivated by his love for Estella and by his
desire to escape from his lowly past. [sequence of time; contradiction;
similarity; causation; example]
3. Television news competes for the same viewers who watch heavily
produced entertainment programs (;) _____ (,) it must mimic, to a certain
extent, entertainment TV. [sequence of time; contradiction; similarity;
causation; example]
4. When his mother had tiptoed to his bedside late that night and demanded
the gun, he had first played possum (;) _____ (,) he had told her that the
gun was hidden outdoors, that he would bring it to her in the morning.
[sequence of time; contradiction; similarity; causation; example]
5. Yeast cells gobble up nutrients from the sugary crushed grapes around
them and expand their population rapidly (;) _____ (,) within weeks the
pollution they have produced has so filled their environment that they are
unable to survive. [sequence of time; contradiction; similarity; causation;
example]
ANSWERS—PART 1
1. example
2. similarity
3. causation
4. sequence of time
5. contradiction
YOUR TURN (continued)
Part 2
In Part 2, you are given the same five sentences, but this time you are given
the category and the conjunctive adverbs from that category as well. Choose
the two conjunctive adverbs from each category that fit logically in the blank
between the left-hand and right-hand sentences.
Notes:
Not all words in all categories will work well.
The example category has only two choices.
6. example: Good neighbors respect one another’s property (;) _____ (,)
good farmers maintain their fences in order to keep their livestock from
wandering onto neighboring farms. [for example, for instance]
7. similarity: Major characters are likely to have more than one motivation
(;) _____ (,) in Great Expectations, Pip is motivated by his love for Estella
and by his desire to escape from his lowly past. [besides, furthermore,
likewise, moreover]
8. causation: Television news competes for the same viewers who watch
heavily produced entertainment programs (;) _____ (,) it must mimic, to a
certain extent, entertainment TV. [consequently, hence, therefore, thus]
9. sequence of time: When his mother had tiptoed to his bedside late that
night and demanded the gun, he had first played possum (;) _____ (,) he
had told her that the gun was hidden outdoors, that he would bring it to her
in the morning. [finally, first, later, meanwhile, next, now, subsequently,
then]
10. contradiction: Yeast cells gobble up nutrients from the sugary crushed
grapes around them and expand their population rapidly (;) _____ (,)
within weeks the pollution they have produced has so filled their
environment that they are unable to survive. [however, instead,
nevertheless, still]
ANSWERS—PART 2
6. example: Good neighbors respect one another’s property (;) FOR EXAMPLE,
FOR INSTANCE (,) good farmers maintain their fences in order to keep their
livestock from wandering onto neighboring farms. [both work]
7. similarity: Major characters are likely to have more than one motivation
(;) BESIDES, FURTHERMORE, LIKEWISE, MOREOVER (,) in Great Expectations,
Pip is motivated by his love for Estella and by his desire to escape from
his lowly past. [all four work]
8. causation: Television news competes for the same viewers who watch
heavily produced entertainment programs (;) CONSEQUENTLY, HENCE,
THEREFORE, THUS (,) it must mimic, to a certain extent, entertainment TV.
[all four work]
9. sequence of time: When his mother had tiptoed to his bedside late that
night and demanded the gun, he had first played possum (;) LATER,
SUBSEQUENTLY, THEN (,) he had told her that the gun was hidden outdoors,
that he would bring it to her in the morning. [not all choices work]
10. contradiction: Yeast cells gobble up nutrients from the sugary crushed
grapes around them and expand their population rapidly (;) HOWEVER,
NEVERTHELESS (,) within weeks the pollution they have produced has so
filled their environment that they are unable to survive. [not all choices
work]
Lesson 5: Short Conjunctive Adverbs
We have learned this pattern for using semicolons along with conjunctive
adverbs:
Sentence (;) CONJUNCTIVE ADVERB (,) sentence.
Now we will learn an exception. When we use a short (one-syllable)
conjunctive adverb, we can drop the comma. Our new pattern, then, looks
like this:
Sentence (;) SHORT CONJUNCTIVE ADVERB sentence.
This new pattern applies to these one-syllable conjunctive adverbs:
first, hence, next, now, still, then, thus
YOUR TURN 5
For each of the following, choose two one-syllable conjunctive adverbs that
can sensibly replace the blanks in the following sentences. As you do, note
we are not placing a comma to the right of these short conjunctive adverbs.
1. She’d given you the wrong crackers the first time around (;) _____ she’d
found the right ones. [first, hence, next, now, still, then, thus]
2. If you deviate from the template, you will not receive a building permit (;)
_____ if you want to give more people access to building permits, begin at
once by throwing out your zoning laws. [first, hence, next, now, still, then,
thus]
3. She watches as we stare back in silence (;) _____ she stomps down the
steps and sees me there on my couch, bobbing back and forth like the peg
on a metronome. [first, hence, next, now, still, then, thus]
ANSWERS 5
1. She’d given you the wrong crackers the first time around (;) NEXT, THEN
she’d found the right ones.
2. If you deviate from the template, you will not receive a building permit (;)
HENCE, THUS if you want to give more people access to building permits,
begin at once by throwing out your zoning laws.
3. She watches as we stare back in silence (;) NEXT, THEN she stomps down
the steps and sees me there on my couch, bobbing back and forth like the
peg on a metronome.
Lesson 6: The Moveable Conjunctive Adverb
We have learned this default pattern for using conjunctive adverbs with
semicolons:
However, it is possible to gain a little added flair and style by sliding our
conjunctive adverbs to the right—to a place within the right-hand sentence.
Examples:
the default pattern: Demands are great for literate individuals who can
apply what they have read in new situations (;) HOWEVER (,) a significant
number of people never achieve the effortless literacy of the skilled reader.
slide the conjunctive adverb to the right: Demands are great for literate
individuals who can apply what they have read in new situations (;) a
significant number of people (,) HOWEVER (,) never achieve the effortless
literacy of the skilled reader.
Note that when the conjunctive adverb (in this case, however) slides to the
right, the semicolon remains. Also, two commas are needed—one on each
side of the conjunctive adverb.
In theory, any of the conjunctive adverbs should be able to slide to the right.
But in reality, the word however proves to be the most slideable.
Another example:
the default pattern: The statement expresses “contempt for other
societies,” just as Mr. Drabelle says it does (;) MOREOVER (,) it is a fine
example of the kind of opinionated statement that raises the hackles of
readers like Mr. Drabelle.
slide the conjunctive adverb to the right: The statement expresses
“contempt for other societies,” just as Mr. Drabelle says it does (;) it is (,)
MOREOVER (,) a fine example of the kind of opinionated statement that
raises the hackles of readers like Mr. Drabelle.
YOUR TURN 6
For each of the following sentences, first locate the conjunctive adverb that
sits between the left-hand and right-hand sentences. Then try sliding that
conjunctive adverb to the right till you find a slot where it fits nicely. Read
the revised sentence out loud so that you can hear its graceful and stylish
sound.
Often, the best place for sliding conjunctive adverbs is the spot between the
subject and the predicate—but no always. So let your ear determine the place
where the conjunctive adverb sounds best.
1. Eisnitz obtained dozens of employee affidavits attesting to the torturous
conditions prevalent at the plant; however, this time she found a worker
willing to videotape the abuse.
2. They have continued abjectly to believe, obey, and vote for the people
who have most eagerly created this ruin; moreover, these men are helpless
to do anything for themselves, and so for money they do whatever they are
told.
3. The Slob’s mental processes consist of an agile twisting and turning to
avoid work and to remain out of jail; however, the brain is not so much
deficient as unused.
ANSWERS 6
1. Eisnitz obtained dozens of employee affidavits attesting to the torturous
conditions prevalent at the plant (;) this time (,) HOWEVER (,) she found a
worker willing to videotape the abuse.
2. They have continued abjectly to believe, obey, and vote for the people
who have most eagerly created this ruin (;) these men (,) MOREOVER (,) are
helpless to do anything for themselves, and so for money they do whatever
they are told.
3. The Slob’s mental processes consist of an agile twisting and turning to
avoid work and to remain out of jail (;) the brain (,) HOWEVER (,) is not so
much deficient as unused.
Lesson 7: Avoiding Misplaced Semicolons
It would be understandable if, while engaged in a series of lessons on
semicolons, we become so exuberant about semicolons that we begin to
scatter them randomly about our writing. Such enthusiasm is to be
commended; nevertheless, we want to avoid misplaced semicolons.
The test for correctness is simple:
Do the words to the left of the semicolon make a complete sentence?
Do the words to the right of the semicolon make a complete sentence?
If the answer is Yes to both questions, the semicolon is correct; if the answer
is No to either question, the semicolon does not belong there.
Examples:
wrong: Carved out of stone (;) the performance area sat at the bottom of
the hillside.
Here, the words to the left of the semicolon are not a sentence; therefore, the
semicolon is incorrect.
wrong: She spoke to me out of a sense of duty (;) a most dismal tone,
indeed.
Here, the words to the right of the semicolon are not a sentence; therefore, the
semicolon is incorrect.
YOUR TURN 7
For each of the following, decide which of the three following possibilities
describes the sentence:
A. The semicolon is correct.
B. The semicolon is incorrect: the words to the left do not make a complete
sentence.
C. The semicolon is incorrect: the words to the right do not make a complete
sentence.
1. As the blood oozed along his scalp (;) Tayo could feel the rivulets in his
hair.
2. My copy slipped away (;) one of five paperback copies I owned.
3. Public business was suspended (;) prisoners were released on bail.
4. She knows she will change him (;) he will be better.
5. The player gets something out of playing (;) which is why he plays.
6. Wishing to live without committing any fault at any time (;) I vowed to
conquer all that natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me
into.
ANSWERS 7
Word groups that are less-than-complete sentences are underlined.
1. B) As the blood oozed along his scalp (;) Tayo could feel the rivulets in
his hair.
2. C) My copy slipped away (;) one of five paperback copies I owned.
3. A) Public business was suspended (;) prisoners were released on bail.
4. A) She knows she will change him (;) he will be better.
5. C) The player gets something out of playing (;) which is why he plays.
6. B) Wishing to live without committing any fault at any time (;) I vowed to
conquer all that natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me
into.
Lesson 8: Semicolon Review
Let’s review what we have learned:
The semicolon (;) is placed between two closely related sentences: sentence
(;) sentence.
In their simplest form, mirror image sentences look something like this:
Person A does this (;) person B does that.
Thing A does this (;) thing B does that.
Semicolons are often used to punctuate two sentences joined by a conjunctive
adverb:
When the conjunctive adverb is short (one syllable), we drop the comma.
Often, we can add some style to our writing by sliding conjunctive adverbs to
the right. This maneuver is most often performed with the word however.
We can avoid using semicolons in error if we check to the left and to the
right. Unless we have a complete sentence on both sides of the semicolon, the
semicolon cannot be used.
YOUR TURN 8
This Your Turn contains ten sentences; each is followed by six choices. To
each sentence, match the statement that correctly describes the sentence.
1. I have heard of you, Mr. Holmes (;) from Mrs. Farintosh, whom you
helped in the hour of her sore need.
A. A semicolon between two closely related—but not mirror-image—
sentences.
B. A semicolon between two mirror-image sentences.
C. A semicolon used along with a conjunctive adverb.
D. The short conjunctive adverb means to leave the comma out.
E. The conjunctive adverb slides to the right.
F. An error: either the left-side or the right-side is less than a complete
sentence.
2. In one direction lies a Hare (;) in the other direction lies a Hatter.
sentences.
sentence.
3. One was handmade out of colored paper by my younger child (;) it’s
cherished despite its being a few stars shy of regulation.
sentences.
sentence.
4. When you use the euphemism passed away, no one is misled (;) MOREOVER
(,) the euphemism functions not just to protect the feelings of another
person, but to communicate your concern for that person’s feelings during
a period of mourning.
sentences.
sentence.
5. She was stacking the plates away (;) her hands moved slowly, reflectively.
sentences.
sentence.
6. A most splendid bazaar (;) she said she would love to go.
sentences.
sentence.
7. The brain attends to novelty (;) THUS any differences or changes in what
learners perceive will attract their attention.
sentences.
sentence.
8. The uproar over the disclosure of what people were really eating prompted
passage of the nation’s first food-safety law (;) there was to be no relief (,)
HOWEVER (,) for the workers who toiled long hours under dangerous
conditions for little pay.
sentences.
sentence.
9. Their labor was skilled labor that exercised their physical and intellectual
capacities (;) unskilled labor on any large scale is impossible except under
industrialism.
sentences.
sentence.
10. You can’t lend your books to your friends because nobody else can
read them without being distracted by your notes (;) furthermore (;) you
won’t want to lend them because a marked copy is a kind of intellectual
diary, and lending it is almost like giving your mind away.
sentences.
sentence.
ANSWERS 8
1. (F) I have heard of you, Mr. Holmes (;) from Mrs. Farintosh, whom you
helped in the hour of her sore need. [An error: in this case the right side is
less than a complete sentence.]
2. (B) In one direction lies a Hare (;) in the other direction lies a Hatter. [A
semicolon between two mirror-image sentences.]
3. (A) One was handmade out of colored paper by my younger child (;) it’s
cherished despite its being a few stars shy of regulation. [A semicolon
between two closely related—but not mirror-image—sentences.]
4. (C) When you use the euphemism passed away, no one is misled (;)
MOREOVER (,) the euphemism functions not just to protect the feelings of
another person, but to communicate your concern for that person’s
feelings during a period of mourning. [A semicolon used along with a
conjunctive adverb.]
5. (A) She was stacking the plates away (;) her hands moved slowly,
reflectively. [A semicolon between two closely related—but not mirror-
image—sentences.]
6. (F) A most splendid bazaar (;) she said she would love to go. [An error: in
this case the left side is less than a complete sentence.]
7. (D) The brain attends to novelty (;) THUS any differences or changes in
what learners perceive will attract their attention. [The short conjunctive
adverb means to leave the comma out.]
8. (E) The uproar over the disclosure of what people were really eating
prompted passage of the nation’s first food-safety law (;) there was to be
no relief (,) HOWEVER (,) for the workers who toiled long hours under
dangerous conditions for little pay. [The conjunctive adverb slides to the
right.]
9. (B) Their labor was skilled labor that exercised their physical and
intellectual capacities (;) unskilled labor on any large scale is impossible
except under industrialism. [A semicolon between two mirror-image
sentences.]
10. (C) You can’t lend your books to your friends because nobody else can
read them without being distracted by your notes (;) furthermore (;) you
won’t want to lend them because a marked copy is a kind of intellectual
diary, and lending it is almost like giving your mind away. [A semicolon
used along with a conjunctive adverb.]
Lesson 9: A Colon and a List
Okay, we’ve completed eight lessons on the semicolon. Here in Lesson 9, we
move to our other featured punctuation mark: the colon.
A colon (:) can precede a list. Here is the pattern:
sentence (:) list
Here is a sentence that illustrates the pattern:
An educated person must possess useful knowledge (:) how to build a
house, how to grow food, how to make clothing.
In lists, the conjunction and usually appears before the final item. This and,
however, is optional. Listing items without using a conjunction is known as
asyndeton.
Notice that the sentence portion of the pattern is really a sentence. Compare
these examples:
correct: I thought about the colors I hate (:) ecru, puce, lavender, beige,
and black.
The correct example above is correct because I thought about the colors I
hate is both a complete sentence and a complete thought.
incorrect: I thought about (:) ecru, puce, lavender, beige, and black.
incorrect: The colors I hate are (:) ecru, puce, lavender, beige, and black.
In the two incorrect versions, neither I thought about nor the colors I hate are
make complete sentences or complete thoughts. In short, not all lists are
preceded by colons.
The words the following often precede the colon when leading into a list.
correct: I thought about the following (:) ecru, puce, lavender, beige, and
black.
Note that the list to the right of the colon will rename a word or phrase to the
left of the colon.
An educated person must possess useful knowledge (:) how to build a
house, how to grow food, how to make clothing.
In the example above, the list (how to build a house, how to grow food, how
to make clothing) renames the useful knowledge from the left of the colon.
The colors I hate are these (:) ecru, puce, lavender, beige, and black.
In this example, the list (ecru, puce, lavender, beige, and black) renames the
colors I hate from the left of the colon.
In other words, the one colon rule that people are most likely to know isn’t
really a rule at all. Yes, a colon often precedes a list, but it’s not because of
the list. It’s because, with colons, something from the right side connects
back to something from the left side.
YOUR TURN 9
As we work through the lessons on colons, we will be focusing on how
colons set up colonesque relations between words to the right and words to
the left. This Your Turn asks you to take your first steps toward
understanding that relationship.
Part 1
Below is a simple matching exercise. For each of the left-hand sentences,
determine which list from below should appear to the right of the colon.
left-hand sentences:
1. Eyes in shining pairs blinked from the roadside (:)
2. For many years Americans of all political stripes have been searching and
arguing about what it will take to offer a good education for all American
kids (:)
3. The small adobe home belonging to Susan Ulery was packed with people
(:)
right-hand lists:
Mormons, non-Mormons, Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians,
attorneys, carpenters, climbers, artists, teachers, and old hippies
less structure, more discipline, racial integration, ethnic academies,
increased funding, higher standards, multicultural curriculum, computers,
school vouchers
foxes, agoutis, maybe wild cats
Part 2
Once again you are given the left-hand sentence. This time you compose
right-hand lists of your own.
4. As they looked out over the prairie, they saw the herds of several animals
(:)
5. We were given these national parks to study (:)
ANSWERS 9
1. Eyes in shining pairs blinked from the roadside (:) foxes, agoutis, maybe
wild cats.
2. For many years Americans of all political stripes have been searching and
arguing about what it will take to offer a good education for all American
kids (:) less structure, more discipline, racial integration, ethnic
academies, increased funding, higher standards, multicultural curriculum,
computers, school vouchers.
3. The small adobe home belonging to Susan Ulery was packed with people
(:) Mormons, non-Mormons, Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians,
attorneys, carpenters, climbers, artists, teachers, and old hippies.
POSSIBLE ANSWERS
4. As they looked out over the prairie, they saw the herds of several animals
(:) buffalo, cattle, sheep, and elephants.
5. We were given these national parks to study (:) Redwood, Yellowstone,
Olympic, and the Grand Canyon.
Lesson 10: A Colon and a Sentence
A colon can precede a sentence. Here is the pattern:
sentence (:) sentence
Here is a sentence that illustrates the pattern:
Carlo begins to understand (:) people do throw away perfectly good stuff.
Note that we are not capitalizing after the colon.
This pattern is quite similar to the semicolon pattern we learned earlier:
semicolon pattern: sentence (;) sentence
colon pattern: sentence (:) sentence
The difference? With the colon pattern, the right-hand sentence goes back
and explains something from the left-hand sentence.
In the example above, we wonder What is it that Carlo is beginning to
understand? The right-hand sentence then answers our question. After
reading the right-hand sentence, we say to ourselves, Oh, that’s what Carlo
was beginning to understand.
The semicolon gives us no such relationship. Though the two sides of a
semicolon sentence are closely related, they do not depend on one another—
as is the case with colon sentences.
To clearly see this difference, read these two examples. As you do, analyze
the relationship between the right-hand and left-hand sentences:
semicolon pattern: Carlo begins to understand (;) Carly begins to get
more confused.
The left-hand and right-hand sentences are quite similar, but the right-hand
sentence does not explain the left-hand sentence.
colon pattern: Carlo begins to understand (:) people do throw away
perfectly good stuff.
Here, the right-hand sentence does explain the left-hand sentence.
A Note on Punctuation
Study this example:
“Alliteration” is less subtle than “consonance” or “assonance” (;) it may
even sound comic, reminding us of a tongue twister.
In the example above, note the semicolon sitting outside the quotation marks.
While periods and commas get tucked inside quotation marks, semicolons
and colons remain outside quotation marks.
YOUR TURN 10
Part 1
Another simple matching exercise. For each of the left-hand sentences,
determine which right-hand sentence from below should appear to the right
of the colon.
1. But here’s a simpler reform (:)
2. Every second kid you meet seems to be suffering from a kind of kindling
restlessness (:)
3. Some people will tell you that the shift from car to truck can be explained
simply (:)
right-hand sentences:
we Americans are getting, um, bigger in the beam.
strike all off-street parking requirements from the law books and leave it
to property owners to decide how much parking to provide.
he shadow-boxes Coke machines and asks you to repeat what you just
said.
Part 2
Once again you are given the left-hand sentence. You compose right-hand
sentences of your own.
4. If we decide to accept, I will make one condition (:)
5. Basi-Reed urged the people present to conduct their own private
experiment (:)
ANSWERS 10
1. But here’s a simpler reform (:) strike all off-street parking requirements
from the law books and leave it to property owners to decide how much
parking to provide.
2. Every second kid you meet seems to be suffering from a kind of kindling
restlessness (:) he shadow-boxes Coke machines and asks you to repeat
what you just said.
3. Some people will tell you that the shift from car to truck can be explained
simply (:) we Americans are getting, um, bigger in the beam.
POSSIBLE ANSWERS
4. If we decide to accept, I will make one condition (:) you will need to take
the shopping cart back to the cart return area instead of leaving it here in
the middle of the parking space.
5. Basi-Reed urged the people present to conduct their own private
experiment (:) people should try going without television for twenty-four
hours.
Lesson 11: A Colon and a Phrase or Clause
In the last two lessons we have practiced placing lists and complete sentences
after colons. Here in this lesson we will practice using phrases or clauses.
A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb; a phrase
contains a subject or a verb or neither. However, for this lesson,
distinguishing between the two won’t be an issue. Whether it is a phrase or a
clause, we will simply think of it as a group of words that is less than a
complete sentence.
Here is the pattern:
sentence (:) phrase or clause
And here is an example of the pattern:
That is the best reincarnation I can imagine (:) to be a cricket on
someone’s hearth.
YOUR TURN 11
Part 1
This Your Turn is like the last two—except that you will working with
phrases and clauses instead of lists or sentences.
For each of the left-hand sentences, determine which phrase or clause from
below should appear to the right of the colon.
1. That, finally, is the only “power” that advertising really proffers (:)
2. Thus the traveler, arriving, sees two cities (:)
3. Whereas thousands of men, women, and children undertake the long
journey to Tucson each winter for one reason only (:)
right-hand phrases or clauses:
to fulfill the need of the body to lie on the ground overnight without
freezing to death.
merely an imaginary pose before the camera.
one erect above the lake, and the other reflected, upside down.
Part 2
Once again you are given the left-hand sentence. You compose right-hand
phrases or clauses of your own. The phrase or clause you add must complete
the unfinished business begun by the left-hand sentence.
4. In the first place, any control children obtain comes at a price (:)
5. But he’d find a much larger source of untapped energy by looking
somewhere else (:)
ANSWERS 11
1. That, finally, is the only “power” that advertising really proffers (:) merely
an imaginary pose before the camera.
2. Thus the traveler, arriving, sees two cities (:) one erect above the lake, and
the other reflected, upside down.
3. Whereas thousands of men, women, and children undertake the long
journey to Tucson each winter for one reason only (:) to fulfill the need of
the body to lie on the ground overnight without freezing to death.
POSSIBLE ANSWERS
4. In the first place, any control children obtain comes at a price (:) the loss
of creativity.
5. But he’d find a much larger source of untapped energy by looking
somewhere else (:) his grass clippings.
Lesson 12: A Colon and a Short Phrase or Single
Word
We have practiced placing lists, sentences, and phrases or clauses after
colons. The sentence pattern we will look at in this lesson is similar to the
others, except that this pattern furnishes more dramatic impact, more punch.
By placing a word or short phrase after a colon, we create a build-up, a
dramatic pause, and a powerful closure.
Example:
There on the carpet the detective saw what he had been looking for (:)
blood.
In this example, the left-hand sentence creates the build-up, the sense of
suspense; the colon provides the pause; the single, powerful word after the
colon concludes our sentence with a zesty finish.
By terminating our colon sentences with short phrases or single words, we
create dramatic conclusions. Some of our dramatic conclusions will be less
dramatic than the detective and his sighting of blood; nevertheless, when a
single word or short phrase follows a colon, some degree of dramatic
conclusion is inevitable.
YOUR TURN 12
Part 1
This Your Turn follows the format of the last three—except that this time you
will complete the left-hand sentences with short phrases or single words.
1. And then I did my own unbelievable thing (:)
2. But this time I want to say before anything else (:)
3. They have a word for it (:)
right-hand short phrases or single words:
growth.
Don’t worry.
I left.
Part 2
Once again you are given the left-hand sentence. You create short phrases or
single words that gives a little dramatic punch to what the left-hand sentence
has left unfinished.
4. The space between the buildings and the street now had one function (:)
5. This condition even has a name (:)
ANSWERS 12
1. And then I did my own unbelievable thing (:) I left.
2. But this time I want to say before anything else (:) Don’t worry.
3. They have a word for it (:) growth.
Grammatically, “I left” and “Don’t worry” are complete sentences, but they
do qualify as short and punchy.
POSSIBLE ANSWERS
4. The space between the buildings and the street now had one function (:)
trash.
5. This condition even has a name (:) psoriasis.
Lesson 13: Answering Questions
In the last four lessons we have practiced placing lists, sentences, phrases,
clauses, short phrases, and single words after colons. While completing these
exercises, we may have believed that we were learning different functions of
the colon, but we were not. In reality, the colon always serves the same
function, regardless of what words appear to the right.
This one rule (as you may have already deduced by now) is this:
The words to the right of the colon go back and explain something from
the left of the colon that had been left unexplained.
Another way of saying this is that the left-hand words leave the reader with
an unanswered question; the right-hand words answer that question.
Here are four sentences taken from the previous four exercises. Let’s see how
this question-answering principle works in these examples:
first example: an educated person must possess useful knowledge
unanswered question: What knowledge?
answer supplied by the right-hand list: how to build a house, how to grow
food, how to make clothing
second example: Carlo begins to understand
unanswered question: Understand what?
answer supplied by the right-hand sentence: people do throw away
perfectly good stuff
third example: that is the best reincarnation I can imagine
unanswered question: What is?
answer supplied by the right-hand phrase: to be a cricket on someone’s
hearth
fourth example: there on the carpet the detective saw what he had been
looking for
unanswered question: What did he see?
answer supplied by the right-hand list: blood
YOUR TURN 13
For each of the following, determine what unanswered question from the left-
hand side gets answered by the words to the right of the colon. Use the
examples above as models.
1. George and I are currently working on two more book projects (:) one
about corporate welfare and the other on the philosophy that underlies our
economic system.
2. Grandmama fed me cherries and showed me the secret of her hair (:) five
metal hairpins come out and the everyday white coil drops in a silvery
waterfall to the back of her knees.
3. I should now list the goods that can profitably be bought here (:) agate,
onyx, chrysoprase, and other varieties of chalcedony.
4. Matrix reality was about patriotism, national honor, and heroic causes—
but true reality was on another plane altogether (:) that of economics.
ANSWERS 13
1. George and I are currently working on two more book projects (:) one
about corporate welfare and the other on the philosophy that underlies our
economic system. [What are they? or What projects?]
2. Grandmama fed me cherries and showed me the secret of her hair (:) five
metal hairpins come out and the everyday white coil drops in a silvery
waterfall to the back of her knees. [What secret?]
3. I should now list the goods that can profitably be bought here (:) agate,
onyx, chrysoprase, and other varieties of chalcedony. [What goods?]
4. Matrix reality was about patriotism, national honor, and heroic causes—
but true reality was on another plane altogether (:) that of economics.
[What plane is that?]
Lesson 14: Semicolons in Lists
We completed a thorough study of the primary uses of semicolons and colons
—eight lessons for the semicolon and five lessons for the colon.
There still remain, however, a variety of more specialized semicolon and
colon functions to be explored:
semicolons in lists, with coordinating conjunctions, and with more than
two sentences;
colons with quotations, in titles, and with less than a complete sentence to
the left.
Semicolons in Lists
Normally, we use commas to separate items in a series. The standard items in
a series pattern looks like this:
item 1 (,)
item 2 (,)
and item 3
But what if one (or more than one) of our items contains commas of its own?
If so, we will need to use semicolons to separate our items. Our new pattern
will look like this:
item with one or more commas of its own (;)
item with one or more commas of its own (;)
and item with one or more commas of its own
Note that it is not necessary for all three items to contain their own commas;
if even one item in the list contains a comma of its own (an internal comma),
the semicolons are necessary.
Compare the wrong and right examples below:
wrong: Advertisers include
Peterson’s House of Stained Glass (,)
Mrs. Gagne (,) lead church organist (,) available for weddings and other
private functions (,)
and Tippy’s Florist.
right: Advertisers include
Peterson’s House of Stained Glass (;)
Mrs. Gagne (,) lead church organist (,) available for weddings and other
private functions (;)
In this example, the second item includes two commas of its own. Because of
those two commas, each item in the series must be separated by semicolons.
When writing, we must never forget our readers. In the first example above,
readers are likely to assume that they are looking at items in a series. But
when they try to read lead church organist as an item separate from Mrs.
Gagne, they will experience hesitation or momentary confusion.
Compare this with the second example. In this example, the heavier and more
substantial semicolons are brought in to separate the three items and to avoid
the confusion caused by the internal commas.
The terms internal and external commas help us to understand why we call
in some semicolons to do the heavy lifting. Let’s use IC to represent internal
commas and EC to represent external commas:
wrong: Advertisers include
Peterson’s House of Stained Glass (EC)
Mrs. Gagne (IC) lead church organist (IC) available for weddings and other
private functions (EC)
In this example, the internal and external commas are performing two
different jobs. The internal job is a lighter job, in this case separating one part
of a phrase from the other parts of the phrase. The external job is the bigger
job: these are the marks that indicate where one item ends and another
begins. What we want to avoid is asking a single mark—in this case, commas
—to perform more than one job in a single sentence; hence the semicolons
are enlisted to replace the external commas.
YOUR TURN 14
Each of the three sentences that follow contains items in a series. At least one
of those items will contain one or more internal commas.
Your task is to determine which commas should convert to semicolons. In
each series, determine where each item begins and ends. By doing this, you
will be able to identify those commas that need to convert to semicolons.
1. It’s in a neighborhood of other small houses like it where, at one time, we
knew all the families (:) Mrs. Berry in the pale blue house who used to
give us divinity (,) the Clarks in the white colonial with the playhouse and
fish pond (,) the Phillips in the vanilla two-story who threw birthday
parties for their bulldogs (,) the Zimmermans across from them who took
us arrowhead-hunting on rainy Saturdays (,) Mr. Cook (,) diagonally (,)
who helped my father on the car and had a cat lovingly named Cat.
The fifth item above contains internal commas.
2. My classmates in parochial school in the center of town near the cathedral
came from widely scattered neighborhoods (:) the middle-class area of
two-story brick bungalows east of Cheseman Park (,) the Five-Points
neighborhood near downtown (,) home to much of Denver’s small black
population (,) the Westside (,) where most Mexican-Americans lived (,)
and North Denver (,) an area heavily represented by working-class Italian-
Americans.
The second, third, and fourth items above contain one internal comma each.
3. When invited somewhere to speak, I send a sheet ahead of time asking
organizers for an environment-friendly event (:) paper instead of plastics
(,) no Styrofoam (,) real flatware and dinnerware (,) biodegradable
flatware (,) recycled paper for the fliers and the press releases (,) services
provided (,) if possible (,) by local businesses (,) locally grown and
organic food (,) which is preferred for meals or receptions (,) receptacles
for recycling (,) carpooling encouraged.
ANSWERS 14
1. It’s in a neighborhood of other small houses like it where, at one time, we
knew all the families (:)
Mrs. Berry in the pale blue house who used to give us divinity (;)
the Clarks in the white colonial with the playhouse and fish pond (;)
the Phillips in the vanilla two-story who threw birthday parties for their
bulldogs (;)
the Zimmermans across from them who took us arrowhead-hunting on
rainy Saturdays (;)
Mr. Cook (,) diagonally (,) who helped my father on the car and had a cat
lovingly named Cat.
The fifth item above contains internal commas.
2. My classmates in parochial school in the center of town near the cathedral
came from widely scattered neighborhoods (:)
the middle-class area of two-story brick bungalows east of Cheseman Park
(;)
the Five-Points neighborhood near downtown (,) home to much of
Denver’s small black population (;)
the Westside (,) where most Mexican-Americans lived (;)
and North Denver (,) an area heavily represented by working-class Italian-
Americans.
The second, third, and fourth items above contain one internal comma each.
3. When invited somewhere to speak, I send a sheet ahead of time asking
organizers for an environment-friendly event (:)
paper instead of plastics (;)
no Styrofoam (;)
real flatware and dinnerware (;)
biodegradable flatware (;)
recycled paper for the fliers and the press releases (;)
services provided (,) if possible (,) by local businesses (;)
locally grown and organic food (,) which is preferred for meals or
receptions (;)
receptacles for recycling (;)
carpooling encouraged.
The sixth item above contains two internal commas; the seventh contains one
internal comma.
Lesson 15: Semicolons with Coordinating
Conjunctions
Using semicolons with coordinating conjunctions is similar to using
semicolons in lists: in both cases, semicolons are performing jobs that are
normally reserved for commas; in both cases, semicolons must step in to
rescue our poor, overworked commas from trying to perform two separate
tasks at once.
One of the most common English sentence patterns is this basic compound
sentence:
sentence (,) COORDINATING CONJUNCTION sentence
The coordinating conjunctions are the seven FANBOYS words: for, and, nor,
but, or, yet, so.
Normally, we place a comma between the left-hand and right-hand sentences,
just in front of the conjunction. But what if there are other (internal) commas
on the left-hand side? Or on the right-hand side? Or on both sides? In such
situations, we must find the comma that appears in front of the conjunction
and upgrade that comma to a semicolon—thus distinguishing that mark from
the other, weaker commas appearing in other places.
The standard compound-sentence pattern looks like this:
sentence (,) COORDINATING CONJUNCTION sentence
But our new pattern looks like this:
sentence with one or more commas of its own (;) COORDINATING
CONJUNCTION sentence with one or more commas of its own
Note that it is not necessary for both the sentences to contain their own
commas; if either the left-hand sentence or the right-hand sentence contains a
comma of its own, we use a semicolon just before the conjunctions.
Example:
wrong: As to reward (,) my profession is its own reward (,) BUT you are at
liberty to defray whatever expenses I may be put to (,) at the time which
suits you best.
right: As to reward (,) my profession is its own reward (;) BUT you are at
liberty to defray whatever expenses I may be put to (,) at the time which
suits you best.
The wrong sentence contains three commas. Two of the commas give us
generic pauses; the middle comma, however, is the compound-sentence
comma, hardly a generic comma at all. Therefore, we upgrade that comma to
a semicolon, thus giving us the right version.
The concepts of internal (IC) and external (EC) commas can once again
provide us with greater clarity:
As to reward (IC) my profession is its own reward (EC)
BUT
you are at liberty to defray whatever expenses I may be put to (IC) at the
time which suits you best.
Here we can see clearly that the internal commas are interior: one to the left-
hand sentence, the other to the right-hand sentence. It is only the external
comma (which we upgrade to a semicolon) that sits outside either of the two
sentences.
YOUR TURN 15
For each of the following, decide which comma needs to be converted to a
semicolon.
1. Self-care at a friend’s home (,) school (,) or community center was
associated with increased levels of risk (,) and adolescents who spent their
time “hanging out” showed the highest levels of problem behaviors.
2. If we play our cards right (,) we can all get more out of life than we put
into it (,) but only if we play for keeps.
3. When they came to their country house (,) the merchant and his three sons
applied themselves to husbandry and tillage (,) and Beauty rose at four in
the morning (,) anxious to have the house clean and to have dinner ready
for the family.
ANSWERS 15
1. Self-care at a friend’s home (,) school (,) or community center was
associated with increased levels of risk (;)
AND
adolescents who spent their time “hanging out” showed the highest levels of
problem behaviors.
The left-hand sentence contains two internal commas; the comma before the
conjunction converts to a semicolon.
2. If we play our cards right (,) we can all get more out of life than we put
into it (;)
BUT
only if we play for keeps.
The left-hand sentence contains one internal comma; the comma before the
conjunction converts to a semicolon.
3. When they came to their country house (,) the merchant and his three sons
applied themselves to husbandry and tillage (;)
AND
Beauty rose at four in the morning (,) anxious to have the house clean and to
have dinner ready for the family.
The left-hand sentence and the right-hand sentence contain one internal
comma each; the comma before the conjunction converts to a semicolon.
Lesson 16: Semicolons with More Than Two
Sentences
Most commonly, semicolons link two sentences. However, they are capable
of linking more than two sentences. Theoretically, semicolons could link
any number of sentences, but in practice the number of sentences linked by
semicolons rarely exceeds three or four.
We can take our original pattern:
sentence (;) sentence
And add this new pattern:
sentence (;) sentence (;) sentence [and more could be added]
Example:
We would spend whole days driving around the South trying to see a man
about a bird (;) we strung mist nets in the woods and fields to catch them,
band them, and let them go again (;) we sent in all the names and dates
and where we caught them.
Most commonly, if a writer decides to string together a longer-than-usual
number of sentences joined by semicolons, it will be because the sentences
share some of the same words or the same structure. In the example above,
the parallel we provides the justification for the joining together of the three
sentences: we would spend . . . we strung . . . we sent . . . .
YOUR TURN 16
For numbers 1 and 2 of this Your Turn, answer the questions that follow the
example sentences. For numbers 3 and 4, you will practice creating strings of
sentences joined by semicolons by creating some material of your own.
1. For want of a nail the shoe is lost for want of a shoe the horse is lost for
want of a horse the rider is lost.
The sentence above needs two semicolons. Where should they be placed?
Explain why these three sentences are joined by semicolons.
2. Easy divorce laws have removed the need to work at relationships easy
credit has removed the need for fiscal self-control easy entertainment has
removed the need to learn to entertain oneself easy answers have removed
the need to ask questions.
The sentence above needs three semicolons. Where should they be placed?
Explain why these four sentences are joined by semicolons.
3. I wondered why I was thinking these things (;) I wondered what
wondering was, and why it was spooky (;)
Create a third sentence of your own to follow the second semicolon above.
The sentence you create should be parallel with the two that went before.
4. But he will gradually see the stars and the moon (;) he will then be able to
see shadows in the daylight thrown by the sun (;) then he will see objects
in the full light of day (;)
Create a fourth sentence of your own to follow the third semicolon above.
The sentence you create should be parallel with the three that went before.
ANSWERS 16
1. For want of a nail the shoe is lost (;) for want of a shoe the horse is lost (;)
for want of a horse the rider is lost.
The two semicolons belong after the first “lost” and the second “lost.” The
three sentences are joined by semicolons because of the parallel structure:
“for want of a BLANK the BLANK is lost.”
2. Easy divorce laws have removed the need to work at relationships (;) easy
credit has removed the need for fiscal self-control (;) easy entertainment
has removed the need to learn to entertain oneself (;) easy answers have
removed the need to ask questions.
The three semicolons belong after “relationships,” “self-control,” and
“oneself.” The four sentences are joined by semicolons because of the
parallel structure: “easy BLANK has removed the need (to or for) BLANK.”
POSSIBLE ANSWERS
3. I wondered why I was thinking these things (;) I wondered what
wondering was, and why it was spooky (;) I wondered whether other
people were thinking these same thoughts.
To remain parallel, the sentence you create should begin with “I wondered.”
4. But he will gradually see the stars and the moon (;) he will then be able to
see shadows in the daylight thrown by the sun (;) then he will see objects
in the full light of day (;) then he will see that the world is, indeed, a most
solid place.
To remain parallel, the sentence you create should begin with “then he will
see.”
Lesson 17: Colons with Quotations
Colons can precede quotations. Quotations can come in the form of spoken
words:
John E. Edgerton, president of the National Association of Manufacturers,
typified their response when he declared (:) “I am for everything that will
make work happier but against everything that will further subordinate its
importance.”
Quotations can also come in the form of written words:
Becker writes in Cross Currents (:) “At this time, the scientific evidence is
absolutely conclusive that 60-Hz magnetic fields cause human cancer cells
to permanently increase their rate of growth by as much as 1,600 per
cent.”
Even those statements that are presented as if they might be spoken or written
can be preceded by colons:
The next question, then, must be this (:) If he is going to write about
immigration, why doesn’t he do it in a sober, informed, logical manner?
Note:
With statements or quoted words appearing to the right of a colon, we do
capitalize.
The colons-with-quotations principle can apply even when quotation
marks are not present.
This use of the colon follows the answer the unanswered question
principle we studied earlier. In the three examples above, the right-hand
statements answer these questions: What did Edgerton declare? What did
Becker write? What is the next question?
This particular use of the colon is especially handy when we are quoting
sources in academic writing. At its most skillful, quoting involves the
blending of the writer’s own words with the source material’s words.
Consequently, quoting complete sentences often leads to clunky, awkward
results.
But the colon is capable of taking poorly blended quotations and gracefully
smoothing them over.
Example:
clunky: Though we have done an adequate job of keeping food production
ahead of population growth, this state of affairs might change in the near
future. “Modern agriculture is highly dependent on fossil fuels for
fertilizers” (Goodchild).
What makes this a poor example of academic quoting is that the quotation is
floating on its own, unattached to the rest of the material. But a single
application of the colon can turn these two separated sentences into a single
sentence, thus blending and attaching the quoted words:
graceful: Though we have done an adequate job of keeping food
production ahead of population growth, this state of affairs might change
in the near future (:) “Modern agriculture is highly dependent on fossil
fuels for fertilizers” (Goodchild).
YOUR TURN 17
This Your Turn consists of a short matching section. For each of the three
left-hand sentences you are given, determine which quotation or statement
from the bulleted list below should appear to the right of the colon.
1. And now I heard, really for the first time (:)
2. He returned to San Francisco to give the client his recommendation (:)
3. In a New York Times op-ed piece, Fast Food Nation’s Eric Schlosser made
a telling observation about the USDA (:)
right-hand quotations or statements:
“Right now you’d have a hard time finding a federal agency more
completely dominated by the industry it was created to regulate.”
“We have come over a way that with tears has been watered / We have
come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered.” [the slash
mark tells us that these are two lines from a poem]
Move the company out of Micronesia and leave those islands the way they
are.
ANSWERS 17
1. And now I heard, really for the first time (:) “We have come over a way
that with tears has been watered / We have come, treading our path
through the blood of the slaughtered.”
2. He returned to San Francisco to give the client his recommendation (:)
Move the company out of Micronesia and leave those islands the way they
are.
3. In a New York Times op-ed piece, Fast Food Nation’s Eric Schlosser made
a telling observation about the USDA (:) “Right now you’d have a hard
time finding a federal agency more completely dominated by the industry
it was created to regulate.”
Lesson 18: Colons with Titles and Less-Than-
Sentences
Colons with Titles
Here is the standard format for titles of academic essays:
Creative Part (:) Straightforward Part
The creative part is meant to whet the reader’s appetite; often it is an
interesting phrase taken from the essay itself.
The straightforward part states the essay’s primary aim.
Examples:
Driven By Desire (:) Why the Global Economy Won’t Satisfy Us
Gonna Hawk Around the Clock (:) How Television Stole the Soul of Rock
and Roll
Note several details about these two examples:
The left-hand side does not flow directly into the right-hand side; instead,
each half is its own unit.
The rules of capitalizing titles apply. (The word to the right of the colon is
always capitalized.)
From the left-hand side, readers might be intrigued, but would have little
clue as to what the essay is about.
From the right-hand side, readers may or may not become interested, but
they do gain a clear picture of the essay’s content.
YOUR TURN 18
This Your Turn for this lesson is divided into two parts. The answers for both
parts follow the second section.
For numbers 1 and 2, create a right-hand side for each title; for numbers 3
and 4, create left-hand sides. Since you don’t actually know the content of
these hypothetical essays, be creative; use your imagination.
1. Fizzy Business (:) _______________
2. Igniting Minds (:) _______________
3. _______________ (:) Planning the Future of a Sinking Island
4. _______________ (:) Using Mountain Bikes to Reform Delinquents
Colons with Less-Than-Sentences
So far, every example we have encountered in these lessons and exercises has
had a complete sentence on the left-hand side—regardless of what appears on
the right-hand side. Here in this final lesson we will look at one exception to
this rule.
Examples:
Chapter One (:) What Is Education For?
Translation (:) My worldview doesn’t have room for Barbie in it, and I’d
be embarrassed to have her as a houseguest.
Once again, though we seem to be covering a variety of rules for using the
colon, each use boils down to the one primary use of colons: the material on
the right refers back to the material on the left. Note that in the two examples
above the left-hand material is less than a compete sentence. But note also
that the left-hand material leaves something unfinished:
Chapter One (:) Oh? What is Chapter One titled?
Translation (:) Oh? What is your translation of the original?
YOUR TURN (continued)
Again, be creative. For each less-than-a-complete-sentence left-hand side,
you create a right-hand side to go with it. Write out the complete answers
(both sides of the colon).
5. Editor’s note (:) _______________.
6. Seen on Highway 101 north of Solvang (:) _______________.
POSSIBLE ANSWERS 18
1. Fizzy Business (:) An Analysis of Common Ingredients Found in Soft
Drinks
2. Igniting Minds (:) The Effect of Science Fiction on Adolescents
3. Castles of Sand (:) Planning the Future of a Sinking Island
4. Where the Wheel Stops (:) Using Mountain Bikes to Reform Delinquents
5. Editor’s note (:) what follows is the second part of a three-part series.
6. Seen on Highway 101 north of Solvang (:) a “Follow me to the Tulip
Festival” sign hanging from a flatbed truck.
Semicolons and Colons Glossary of Terms
academic quoting: Colons can help rescue clunky quotations and turn them
into examples of skillful academic quoting.
colons with titles: Creative Part (:) Straightforward Part
colons: Can precede single words, lists, phrases, clauses, or sentences. With
colons, it’s not so much the grammar that matters as the logical relationship
between the left-hand and right-hand words. When the right-hand words
explain something that the left-hand side leaves unexplained, the colon is the
right punctuation mark for the job.
compound sentence: Two sentences joined together as one. This can be
accomplished with semicolons: left-hand sentence (;) right-hand sentence. It
can also be accomplished with colons: left-hand sentence (:) right-hand
sentence.
conjunctive adverbs: Often used in conjunction with semicolons: sentence
(;) CONJUNCTIVE ADVERB (,) sentence. Here is a list of common conjunctive
adverbs: besides, consequently, finally, first, for example, for instance,
furthermore, hence, however, instead, later, likewise, meanwhile, moreover,
nevertheless, next, now, otherwise, still, subsequently, then, therefore, thus.
Most conjunctive adverbs indicate one of the following relationships:
sequence of time, contradiction, similarity, causation, example.
internal and external commas: Applies to both items in a list and the
sentences being joined in a compound sentence. If any of the items in a list
contain internal commas, semicolons replace the external commas (the marks
separating one item from another). In a compound sentence, if either the left-
hand or right-hand sentence contains internal commas, semicolons replace
the external comma that normally sits to the left of the coordinating
conjunction.
mirror image sentence: The sentences best connected by semicolons. Mirror
image sentences commonly take the pattern of person A does this (;) person
B does that or thing A does this (;) thing B does that.
misplaced semicolons: If either the left-hand side or the right-hand side is
less than a complete sentence, the semicolon is not the correct punctuation
mark for the job.
more than two sentences: Yes, semicolons can link more than two
sentences.
preceding quotations: A slot that can be filled admirably by colons.
semicolons: Best used in the joining of two closely related sentences.
short conjunctive adverbs: first, hence, next, now, still, then, thus. With
these one-syllable conjunctive adverbs, the comma to the right of the
conjunctive adverb is often unnecessary.
sliding conjunctive adverbs to the right: A stylish writing device. The
conjunctive adverb however—along with a few others—can often be moved
to the right to create a more elegant sounding sentence.
Test Questions
The Test Questions section consists of 40 sentences divided into eight groups
of five sentences each. Each sentence is followed by five multiple choice
options. Within each group of five, each multiple-choice option gets used
once.
The sentences that follow have been stripped of their semicolons and colons.
The multiple-choice options describe how to fix the problem of the missing
semicolons and colons.
Some semicolons and colons would be placed in open slots; others would
need to replace commas. Some sentences will need more than one
punctuation mark; some sentences will need no added mark at all.
The list of conjunctive adverbs appears here:
besides, consequently, finally, first, for example, for instance, furthermore,
hence, however, instead, later, likewise, meanwhile, moreover,
nevertheless, next, now, otherwise, still, subsequently, then, therefore, thus
TEST PART 1
1. A fire is burning behind the prisoners between the fire and the arrested
prisoners, there is a walkway where people walk and talk and carry
objects.
a. add a colon to indicate that the right-hand clause completes what the left-
hand sentence had left unfinished
b. add a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb in the compound sentence
c. add a semicolon to join two closely related sentences
d. do nothing—the compound sentence is already connected by a comma and
a coordinating conjunction
e. the right-hand sentence contains an internal comma, so a semicolon is
needed before the coordinating conjunction
2. Ashurbanipal was one of the rare ancient Middle Eastern rulers who was
literate, and his scribes amassed the first collected library in that area it
included scholarly texts and works on magic.
3. At some level, I fear that I like blackfly season for the same reason I like
harsh winters and bad roads because it heightens the adventure of living
here.
4. At Westland Row Station a crowd of people pressed to the carriage doors

but the porters moved them back, saying that it was a special train for the
bazaar.
5. Because the survivors succeed, they will pass that advantage on to the
next generation therefore, the incidence of that trait will increase in the
population.
TEST ANSWERS PART 1
1. C) A fire is burning behind the prisoners (;) between the fire and the
arrested prisoners there is a walkway where people walk and talk and
carry objects. [add a semicolon to join two closely related sentences]
2. D) Ashurbanipal was one of the rare ancient Middle Eastern rulers who
was literate, and his scribes amassed the first collected library in that area
it included scholarly texts and works on magic. [do nothing—the
compound sentence is already connected by a comma and a coordinating
conjunction]
3. A) At some level, I fear that I like blackfly season for the same reason I
like harsh winters and bad roads (:) because it heightens the adventure of
living here. [add a colon to indicate that the right-hand clause completes
what the left-hand sentence had left unfinished]
4. E) At Westland Row Station a crowd of people pressed to the carriage
doors (;) but the porters moved them back, saying that it was a special
train for the bazaar. [the right-hand sentence contains an internal comma,
so a semicolon is needed before the coordinating conjunction]
5. B) Because the survivors succeed, they will pass that advantage on to the
next generation (;) therefore, the incidence of that trait will increase in the
population. [add a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb in the
compound sentence]
TEST PART 2
6. Alliteration is less subtle than consonance or assonance it may even sound
comic, reminding us of a tongue twister.
a. add a colon to indicate that the right-hand list completes what the left-hand
sentence had left unfinished
b. add a colon to indicate that the right-hand sentence completes what the
left-hand sentence had left unfinished
d. add a semicolon to join two mirror-image sentences
e. do nothing; this is one sentence—not two—so no semicolon is needed
7. At the turn of the century in the central district of Lawrenceville there may
have been as many varieties of bread as there were languages.
8. Eating safely involves three principles using common sense to evaluate the
condition of the found material, checking the area’s dumpsters regularly,
and seeking always to determine why the found material was discarded.
9. Every selection you used as support material should appear in your Works
Cited page those not used should not appear.
10. Having watched Discovery Channel and worked with computer

simulations, children are typically disappointed when they approach a
pond or stream the fish, the frogs, and the otters are not jumping about
and playing.
TEST ANSWERS PART 2
6. C) “Alliteration” is less subtle than “consonance” or “assonance” (;) it
may even sound comic, reminding us of a tongue twister. [add a
semicolon to join two closely related sentences]
7. E) At the turn of the century in the central district of Lawrenceville there
may have been as many varieties of bread as there were languages. [do
nothing; this is one sentence—not two—so no semicolon is needed]
8. A) Eating safely involves three principles (:) using common sense to
evaluate the condition of the found material, checking the area’s
dumpsters regularly, and seeking always to determine why the found
material was discarded. [add a colon to indicate that the right-hand list
completes what the left-hand sentence had left unfinished]
9. D) Every selection you used as support material should appear in your
Works Cited page (;) those not used should not appear. [add a semicolon
to join two mirror-image sentences]
10. B) Having watched Discovery Channel and worked with computer
simulations, children are typically disappointed when they approach a
pond or stream (:) the fish, the frogs, and the otters aren’t jumping about
and playing. [add a colon to indicate that the right-hand sentence
TEST PART 3
11. For just one brand, I had to decide between Original, Homestyle, Pulp
Plus, Double Vitamin C, Grovestand, Calcium, or Old Fashioned I also
had to decide whether I wanted the 167-ounce, 32-ounce, 64-ounce, 96-
ounce, or six-pack size.
c. add a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb in the compound sentence
d. add a semicolon to join two closely related sentences
e. add a semicolon to join two mirror-image sentences
12. HE WAS LATE GETTING BACK TO THE THEATER TENT AND LATE GETTING TO THE
HOME OF THE STREET SWEEPERS THEN HE WOULDN’T TELL THEM WHERE HE HAD
BEEN.
13. Here’s a secret you should know about mothers we spy.

14. In the pasture behind our house are the butterflies you taught me to
love and name swallowtails, monarchs, and viceroys.
15. One is two years beyond where you now are the other is two years
behind where you now are.
TEST ANSWERS PART 3
11. D) For just one brand, I had to decide between Original, Homestyle,
Pulp Plus, Double Vitamin C, Grovestand, Calcium, or Old Fashioned (;) I
also had to decide whether I wanted the 167-ounce, 32-ounce, 64-ounce,
96-ounce, or six-pack size. [add a semicolon to join two closely related
sentences]
12. C) He was late getting back to the Theater tent and late getting to the
Home of the Street Sweepers (;) then he wouldn’t tell them where he had
been. [add a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb in the compound
sentence]
13. B) Here’s a secret you should know about mothers (:) we spy. [add a
colon to indicate that the right-hand sentence completes what the left-hand
sentence had left unfinished]
14. A) In the pasture behind our house are the butterflies you taught me to
love and name (:) swallowtails, monarchs, and viceroys. [add a colon to
indicate that the right-hand list completes what the left-hand sentence had
left unfinished]
15. E) One is two years beyond where you now are (;) the other is two
years behind where you now are. [add a semicolon to join two mirror-
image sentences]
TEST PART 4
16. From the start, Arachne learned the craft well her skill soon surpassed
that of the other village weavers.
a. add a colon to indicate that the right-hand sentence completes what the
d. add semicolons to join the series of sentences
17. I kept studying them until the connection registered these high-peaked
roofs perfectly echoed the shape of the vaulted ceilings we’d seen inside
every Mayan ruin we had visited.
18. In “The Three Billy Goats Gruff,” the troll who lives under the bridge
becomes enraged when he hears the goats crossing the bridge.
19. In the long run, men hit only what they aim at thus they had better aim
at something high.
20. It is not the sunrise, which is flaring in the eastern sky it is not the rain
falling out of the purse of God it is not the blue helmet of the sky
afterward, or the trees, or the beetle burrowing into the earth it is not the
mockingbird who will go on clapping from the branches of the catalpa
that are thick with blossoms and that are shaking in the wind.
TEST ANSWERS PART 4
16. C) From the start, Arachne learned the craft well (;) her skill soon
surpassed that of the other village weavers. [add a semicolon to join two
closely related sentences]
17. A) I kept studying them until the connection registered (:) these high-
peaked roofs perfectly echoed the shape of the vaulted ceilings we’d seen
inside every Mayan ruin we had visited. [add a colon to indicate that the
right-hand sentence completes what the left-hand sentence had left
unfinished]
18. E) In “The Three Billy Goats Gruff,” the troll who lives under the
bridge becomes enraged when he hears the goats crossing the bridge. [do
nothing; this is one sentence—not two—so no semicolon is needed]
19. B) In the long run, men hit only what they aim at (;) thus they had
better aim at something high. [add a semicolon before the conjunctive
adverb in the compound sentence]
20. D) It is not the sunrise, which is flaring in the eastern sky (;) it is not
the rain falling out of the purse of God (;) it is not the blue helmet of the
sky afterward, or the trees, or the beetle burrowing into the earth (;) it is
not the mockingbird who will go on clapping from the branches of the
catalpa that are thick with blossoms and that are shaking in the wind. [add
semicolons to join the series of sentences]
TEST PART 5
21. It isn’t so funny it doesn’t sound so good we are doing okay without it
we can get along without that kind of thing.
b. add a colon to precede the quotation
e. the right-hand sentence contains internal commas, so a semicolon is
22. MTV’s executives refused to air the video, much to Young’s disgust
“They’re supposed to be rebellious,” he complained in Rolling Stone,
“but haven’t got enough guts to show something that’s not middle of the
road.”
23. My schools missed the opportunity to capitalize on an element of drama

and conflict that the intellectual world shares with sports consequently, I
failed to see the parallels between the sports and academic worlds that
could have helped me cross from one argument culture to the other.
24. My stepfather learned of the engagement when my sister returned and

offered no objection to the marriage but within a fortnight of the day that
had been fixed for the wedding, the terrible event occurred, which has
deprived me of my companion.
25. Their reaction was predictable they started to cry.

TEST ANSWERS PART 5
21. D) It isn’t so funny (;) it doesn’t sound so good (;) we are doing okay
without it (;) we can get along without that kind of thing. [add semicolons
to join the series of sentences]
22. B) MTV’s executives refused to air the video, much to Young’s disgust
(:) “They’re supposed to be rebellious,” he complained in Rolling Stone,
“but haven’t got enough guts to show something that’s not middle of the
road.” [add a colon to precede the quotation]
23. C) My schools missed the opportunity to capitalize on an element of
drama and conflict that the intellectual world shares with sports (;)
consequently, I failed to see the parallels between the sports and academic
worlds that could have helped me cross from one argument culture to the
other. [add a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb in the compound
sentence]
24. E) My stepfather learned of the engagement when my sister returned
and offered no objection to the marriage (;) but within a fortnight of the
day that had been fixed for the wedding, the terrible event occurred, which
has deprived me of my companion. [the right-hand sentence contains
internal commas, so a semicolon is needed before the coordinating
conjunction]
25. A) Their reaction was predictable (:) they started to cry. [add a colon to
indicate that the right-hand sentence completes what the left-hand
TEST PART 6
26. I reined my horse to the brink of a lurid tarn and gazed down upon the
inverted images of the gray sedge, the ghastly tree stems, and the eyelike
windows nevertheless, in this mansion of gloom I now proposed to myself
a sojourn of some weeks.
d. add a semicolon to join two sentences in which the conjunctive adverb has
moved to the right
e. do nothing—the compound sentence is already connected by a comma and
27. My stepfather offered no objection to the marriage, but the terrible

event occurred within a fortnight of the day that had been fixed for the
wedding.
moved to the right
28. Now National Airlines had two problems it did not want to talk about
one of its airplanes crashing and it had to account for the $1.7 million
when it issued its annual report to its stockholders.
moved to the right
29. Promoters of instructional technology have reverted to a much more

modest claim—that the computer is just another tool “It’s what you do
with it that counts.”
moved to the right
30. Sickly and frail, Stephen Crane didn’t attend school until he was eight
this wasn’t a major issue, however, for he far preferred baseball to books.
moved to the right
TEST ANSWERS PART 6
26. (C) I reined my horse to the brink of a lurid tarn and gazed down upon
the inverted images of the gray sedge, the ghastly tree stems, and the
eyelike windows (;) nevertheless, in this mansion of gloom I now
proposed to myself a sojourn of some weeks. [add a semicolon before the
conjunctive adverb in the compound sentence]
27. (E) My stepfather offered no objection to the marriage, but the terrible
event occurred within a fortnight of the day that had been fixed for the
wedding. [do nothing—the compound sentence is already connected by a
comma and a coordinating conjunction]
28. (A) Now National Airlines had two problems it did not want to talk
about (:) one of its airplanes crashing and it had to account for the $1.7
million when it issued its annual report to its stockholders. [add a colon to
indicate that the right-hand sentence completes what the left-hand
29. (B) Promoters of instructional technology have reverted to a much
more modest claim—that the computer is just another tool (:) “It’s what
you do with it that counts.” [add a colon to precede the quotation]
30. (D) Sickly and frail, Stephen Crane didn’t attend school until he was
eight (;) this wasn’t a major issue, however, for he far preferred baseball
to books. [add a semicolon to join two sentences in which the conjunctive
adverb has moved to the right]
TEST PART 7
31. No matter how hard we looked we didn’t see cracks in the plaster.
b. add a colon to indicate that the right-hand word completes what the left-
moved to the right
32. So we made a detour to inspect one of the notable antiquities on our

map Uxmal.
moved to the right
33. Socrates here reminds us that the business of rulers is not to make
themselves happy their happiness is to be realized in the happiness of
every citizen in the Ideal State.
moved to the right
34. The authorities began to search for better ways to evaluate teachers,
and some have arrived at a radical solution you watch them teach.
moved to the right
35. The body has limits that the machine does not have remove the body
from the machine, therefore, so that the machine can continue as an
unlimited idea.
moved to the right
TEST ANSWERS PART 7
31. E) No matter how hard we looked we didn’t see cracks in the plaster.
[do nothing; this is one sentence—not two—so no semicolon is needed]
32. B) So we made a detour to inspect one of the notable antiquities on our
map (:) Uxmal. [add a colon to indicate that the right-hand word
33. C) Socrates here reminds us that the business of rulers is not to make
themselves happy (;) their happiness is to be realized in the happiness of
every citizen in the Ideal State. [add a semicolon to join two closely
related sentences]
34. A) The authorities began to search for better ways to evaluate teachers,
and some have arrived at a radical solution (:) you watch them teach. [add
a colon to indicate that the right-hand sentence completes what the left-
hand sentence had left unfinished]
35. D) The body has limits that the machine does not have (;) remove the
body from the machine, therefore, so that the machine can continue as an
unlimited idea. [add a semicolon to join two sentences in which the
conjunctive adverb has moved to the right]
TEST PART 8
36. The expression “pearl of great price” has come to mean anything that
is very valuable for example, Hester Prynne named her child “Pearl”
because she had given up all that she had in bearing the child.
d. both the left hand and the right-hand sentences contains internal commas,
so a semicolon is needed before the coordinating conjunction
37. Then it came to him he would buy more fields and rent them out to his
customers.
38. This incident, which created a great sensation, frightened away several
prospective buyers and when it began to be whispered that a ghost walked
the room at midnight, he decided to investigate the matter himself, so as to
put an end to the rumors.
39. Vavilov noticed a pattern genetic variation was not evenly distributed.
40. Winding paths lead out from the central plaza through the forest to
other places of interest temples, ball courts, stories carved in stone, and
mysterious clearings.
TEST ANSWERS PART 8
36. C) The expression “pearl of great price” has come to mean anything
that is very valuable (;) for example, Hester Prynne named her child
“Pearl” because she had given up all that she had in bearing the child. [add
a semicolon before the conjunctive adverb in the compound sentence]
37. E) Then it came to him he would buy more fields and rent them out to
his customers. [do nothing; this is one sentence—not two—so no
semicolon is needed]
38. D) This incident, which created a great sensation, frightened away
several prospective buyers (;) and when it began to be whispered that a
ghost walked the room at midnight, he decided to investigate the matter
himself, so as to put an end to the rumors. [both the left hand and the
right-hand sentences contains internal commas, so a semicolon is needed
before the coordinating conjunction]
39. B) Vavilov noticed a pattern (:) genetic variation was not evenly
distributed. [add a colon to indicate that the right-hand sentence
40. A) Winding paths lead out from the central plaza through the forest to
other places of interest (:) temples, ball courts, stories carved in stone, and
mysterious clearings. [add a colon to indicate that the right-hand list
Titles in the Mastering English Grammar Series
ALL TITLES ARE AVAILABLE ON KINDLE OR IN PRINT
Parts of Speech
Book 1: Nouns and Adjectives
Book 2: Verbs and Adverbs
Book 3: Pronouns, Prepositions, and Conjunctions
Sentence Structure
Book 4: Subjects and Verbs
Book 5: Compound Sentences
Book 6: Complex Sentences
Punctuation
Book 7: Commas
Book 8: Semicolons and Colons
Book 9: Parentheses, Brackets, Dashes, Ellipses, Italics, and
Hyphens

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SEMICOLONS AND COLONS

Book 8 of the MASTERING ENGLISH GRAMMAR

Copyright © David Moeller, 2021

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4. At Westland Row Station a crowd of people pressed to the carriage doors

10. Having watched Discovery Channel and worked with computer

13. Here’s a secret you should know about mothers we spy.

23. My schools missed the opportunity to capitalize on an element of drama

24. My stepfather learned of the engagement when my sister returned and

25. Their reaction was predictable they started to cry.

27. My stepfather offered no objection to the marriage, but the terrible

29. Promoters of instructional technology have reverted to a much more

32. So we made a detour to inspect one of the notable antiquities on our

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