 Noticing Newbies: March 30, 2011 Issue [#4312] |
  Noticing Newbies
This week: Colons and Semicolons Edited by: Sara♥Jean  
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"Noticing Newbies Newsletter (March 2, 2011)" was the first installment of this little tutorial, and I got some absolutely wonderful feedback from the readers. (Thank you!)
Today, I'll be moving on to the promised semicolons and colons portion of this punctuation tutorial, which will conclude it for now. 
Because the subject is not nearly as vast and daunting as writing out all of the comma rules, I am able to give you guys a bit more guidance and examples within the newsletter, rather than having to resort to posting just the rules, and then posting a link for you to find the examples in.
Let us begin with... Colons.
Use a colon after a complete sentence when introducing a list of words or phrases. The formatting of the list can be done in many different ways.
Examples:
There is a lot I need to do today: fold the laundry, wash the dishes, clean out the car, and vacuum the living room.
There is a lot I need to do today:
1) fold the laundry,
2) wash the dishes,
3) clean out the car, and
4) vacuum the living room.
There is a lot I need to do today:
1) Fold the laundry.
2) Wash the dishes.
3) Clean out the car.
4) Vacuum the living room.
There is a lot I need to do today: 1) fold the laundry, 2) wash the dieshes, 3) clean out the car, and 4) vacuum the living room.
There are many, many ways. Consistency is key! Whichever way you use to begin, be sure you are using the same way to end it.
Use a colon instead of a semicolon between two sentences when the second sentence illustrates the first sentence and no coordinating conjunction is being used. (Oftentimes, a semicolon could also be used, and the grammar would still be appropriate, as the sentences are related.)
If only one sentence follows the colon, the first word of the new sentence is not capitalized. If two or more sentences follow the colon, capitalize the first word of each sentence following.
I went to the art fair: it had more people than I expected in attendance.
I went to the art fair: the displayed art was absolutely magnificent.
I went to the art fair: It had more people than I expected in attendance. The displayed art was absolutely magnificent.
And now presenting... (drumroll) ...Semicolons.
Use a semicolon between independent clauses
| A group of words made up of both a subject and a predicate. |
| and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet |
Independent Clauses: Sally collected seashells by the seashore. She put them into a bucket.
Sally collected seashells by the seashore; she put them into a bucket.
Independent Clauses: Bob earned his associate's degree last summer. His sister earned her cooking certificate at the same time.
Bob earned his associate's degree last summer; his sister earned her cooking certificate at the same time.
Independent Clauses: Charlie earned his business degree last year. Consequently, he was hired nearly immediately at a local company.
Charlie earned his business degree last year; consequently, he was hired nearly immediately at a local company.
Now, at this point, you may be asking what the point of using semicolons here is. You can very easily write all of these as independent sentences, and it won't be any different. You're right! If in doubt, there's nothing wrong with a period.
Use a semicolon between when making a list of things that ALSO include their own punctuation, to avoid confusion. For example, compare the following:
Without Semicolons: I need blue, red, and green paint, small, medium and large brushes, and a new canvas and easel.
With Semicolons: I need blue, red, and green paint; small, medium and large brushes; and a new canvas and easel.
The first one looks like a comma meltdown - while the second is much more clear.
While this isn't a topic that will win me any sort of Grammy or award, I believe that it is important for this community of writers to be aware of how this punctuation should be used, as opposed to how it is often used. I hope this newsletter was informative to you! |
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In my last newsletter, I asked:
What do you find the most difficult to understand about punctuation? If there is anything specific, I will do my best to reply within my next newsletter.
This does not have to be specific to commas -- it can contain a question about any kind of grammar or punctuation.
From eyestar~*  - Sara Jean, what an awesome undertaking and overview of commas. Can serve as quick reminder, short and sweet and no, not simple! A place from which to start! Leaping ...now!
I am so glad it gave you a place to begin! That, after all, is sometimes the hardest part.
From BevRearick - I think the one specific punctuation in which I always wonder about is the semi-colon and colon. Although I took the normal English classes in school, I never fully understood these sections and would love to learn more about them. Thanks!
You're in luck! That's what this newsletter was about. I hope it clears up some of your questions - and if it doesn't, well, let me have more questions! I'll do the best I can.
From Cubby  - I thought I knew everything there was to know about commas--and like you--I had very strict teachers in school. I get so frustrated when I read a book and those rules are ignored. I agree with your rules... but why aren't they applied like they used to be?  Sometimes I have to re-read a sentence because it doesn't flow and pause with commas like I thought it should. LOL! Great newsletter!
Thank you!
In reply, honestly, I blame texting, IMing, Twitter, chatrooms, etc. I began on the internet when I was 16, and it seems that things have just gone downhill since then on application of rules, unless one "has" to do it. Text limits, insertion of letters into words for the fun of it, and other things have caused people to turn everything into shorthand.
Watching my students, unless they know that their grade is going to get nailed to the wall by not following the rules, they simply just ignore them. It's as if they have been taught absolutely nothing, sometimes.
Other times, they are quite pleasantly surprising.
From Babsqueen - I write my draft and during the reading and rereading will find where my comma's should go. Sometimes, after applying commas, I look to see if it should be another punctuation by reading again for the meaning I want to get through to the reader.
This seems like a good approach! Reading and re-reading to double check one's own work and find one's own mistakes is NEVER a waste of time, in my opinion. Why depend on an editor, when you can do it yourself?
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I had so much feedback from this newsletter, I was thrilled! While I was not able to include everything, I want to thank everyone that contributed and gave me praise, ideas, and other feedback for the previous comma newsletter. I only hope this one proves as useful to you.
Thank you, everyone! |
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