How Do You Know if Your Pelvis Is Separating

What this handout is about

This handout explains the virtually common uses of three kinds of punctuation: semicolons (;), colons (:), and dashes (—). After reading the handout, you will exist better able to decide when to use these forms of punctuation in your own writing.

Semicolons

The semicolon looks like a comma with a catamenia above it, and this can be a good mode to remember what it does. A semicolon creates more separation between thoughts than a comma does but less than a period does. Here are the two almost common uses of the semicolon:

one. To help divide items in a list, when some of those items already contain commas.

Let'due south expect at an instance, equally that is the easiest fashion to understand this use of the semicolon. Suppose I want to list iii items that I bought at the grocery store:

apples
grapes
pears

In a judgement, I would split these items with commas:

I bought apples, grapes, and pears.

Now suppose that the iii items I desire to list are described in phrases that already contain some commas:

shiny, ripe apples
modest, sweet, juicy grapes
house pears

If I use commas to separate these items, my sentence looks like this:

I bought shiny, ripe apples, pocket-sized, sweet, juicy grapes, and firm pears.

That heart part is a bit confusing—it doesn't give the reader many visual cues about how many items are in the list, or about which words should exist grouped together. Here is where the semicolon can assist. The commas betwixt items tin be "bumped upwardly" a notch and turned into semicolons, so that readers can hands tell how many items are in the list and which words get together:

I bought shiny, ripe apples; small, sweet, juicy grapes; and business firm pears.

two. To bring together ii sentences.

An contained clause is a grouping of words that can stand on its own (independently)—it is a complete judgement. Semicolons tin can be used betwixt two contained clauses. The semicolon keeps the clauses somewhat carve up, similar a flow would do, so we tin can easily tell which ideas belong to which clause. Merely information technology besides suggests that there may be a close human relationship between the two clauses—closer than you lot would expect if at that place were a period between them. Let's expect at a few examples. Hither are a few fine contained clauses, standing on their own as complete sentences:

I went to the grocery store today. I bought a ton of fruit. Apples, grapes, and pears were on sale.

Now—where could semicolons fit in hither? They could exist used to bring together two (merely not all 3) of the independent clauses together. And so either of these pairs of sentences would be okay:

I went to the grocery store today; I bought a ton of fruit. Apples, grapes, and pears were all on sale.

OR

I went to the grocery store today. I bought a ton of fruit; apples, grapes, and pears were all on sale.

I could NOT do this:

I went to the grocery store today; I bought a ton of fruit; apples, grapes, and pears were all on sale.

But why would I desire to use a semicolon here, anyway? 1 reason might have to practice with style: the three brusk sentences sound kind of inclement or abrupt. A stronger reason might be if I wanted to emphasize a relationship between two of the sentences. If I connect "I bought a ton of fruit" and "Apples, grapes, and pears were all on sale" more closely, readers may realize that the reason why I bought so much fruit is that there was a great sale on it.

Colons

Colons follow independent clauses (clauses that could stand lone as sentences) and can be used to present an explanation, draw attention to something, or join ideas together.

Common uses of colons

1. To denote, introduce, or direct attention to a list, a substantive or noun phrase, a quotation, or an example/explanation. Y'all tin can use a colon to describe attention to many things in your writing. The categories listed below often overlap, so don't worry likewise much about whether your intended employ of the colon fits ane category perfectly.

Lists/serial example:

We covered many of the fundamentals in our writing class: grammar, punctuation, fashion, and vocalisation.

Noun/noun phrase example:

My roommate gave me the things I needed most: companionship and tranquillity.

Quotation case:

Shakespeare said it best: "To thine own cocky exist truthful."

Example/explanation example: Many graduate students discover that there is a nighttime side to academia: late nights, high stress, and a crippling addiction to caffeinated beverages.

2. To join sentences. Yous tin use a colon to connect two sentences when the second sentence summarizes, sharpens, or explains the commencement. Both sentences should exist complete, and their content should be very closely related. Note that if you lot utilise colons this way likewise often, information technology tin break up the flow of your writing. So don't get carried abroad with your colons!

Case: Life is like a puzzle: half the fun is in trying to work it out.

iii. To limited fourth dimension, in titles, and as office of other writing conventions. Colons appear in several standard or conventional places in writing. Here are a few examples:

• With numbers. Colons are used to divide units of time (4:45:00 expresses four hours, twoscore-5 minutes, and cipher seconds); ratios (2:1), and Bible verses and capacity (Matthew 2:24).

• In bibliography entries. Many citation styles use a colon to carve up data in bibliography entries.

Example: Kurlansky, M. (2002). Salt: A world history. New York, NY: Walker and Co.

• With subtitles. Colons are used to dissever titles from subtitles.

Example: Everest: The Last Frontier

• After the salutation in a formal business concern letter. A colon can be used immediately after the greeting in a formal letter (less-formal letters tend to use a comma in this location).

Example: To Whom It May Business organization: Delight accept my application for the position advertised in the News and Observer.

Common colon mistakes

1. Using a colon between a verb and its object or complement

Example (incorrect):The very best peaches are: those that are grown in the great country of Georgia.

To right this, simply remove the colon.

ii. Using a colon betwixt a preposition and its object

Example (wrong): My favorite cake is made of: carrots, flour, butter, eggs, and cream cheese icing.

To correct this, merely remove the colon.

iii. Using a colon after "such every bit," "including," "specially," and similar phrases. This violates the rule that the cloth preceding the colon must be a complete thought. Look, for example, at the following judgement:

Case (incorrect): At that place are many different types of paper, including: college ruled, wide ruled, and patently copy paper.

You can see that "In that location are many different types of paper, including" is not a complete sentence. The colon should only be removed.

How to check for mistakes

Ask yourself a question: does the cloth preceding the colon stand up on its own? One fashion to tell if the colon has been properly used is to look merely at the words that come up in front of the colon. Do they brand a consummate thought? If non, you may be using the colon improperly. Check above to see if you have made ane of the most common mistakes.

Should yous capitalize the first letter after a colon?

Different citation styles (such as MLA, APA, Chicago, and AMA) take slightly different rules regarding whether to capitalize the starting time letter subsequently a colon. If information technology is of import that you follow one of these styles precisely, be sure to use the appropriate manual to expect upwards the rule.

Hither's our suggestion: generally, the kickoff word following the colon should be lower-cased if the words afterwards the colon form a dependent clause (that is, if they could not stand on their ain as a complete sentence). If the following phrase is a complete (independent) clause, y'all may cull to capitalize it or not. Whichever approach yous choose, be sure to be consistent throughout your paper.

Example with an contained clause, showing two different approaches to capitalization:
The commercials had i bulletin: The geeks shall inherit the earth. (right)
The commercials had one bulletin: the geeks shall inherit the earth. (correct)

Example with a dependent clause (which is not capitalized):
There are 3 perfect times to smiling: when I'chiliad with friends, when I'm lonely, and when I'1000 with my canis familiaris. (correct)

Dashes

The offset thing to know when talking about dashes is that they are almost never required past the laws of grammar and punctuation. Overusing dashes tin can pause up the flow of your writing, making it choppy or even difficult to follow, so don't overdo it.

Information technology'south also of import to distinguish between dashes and hyphens. Hyphens are shorter lines (-); they are most often used to show connections between words that are working as a unit (for example, yous might see adjectives like "well-intentioned") or to spell sure words (like "e-mail").

With that background data in mind, let's have a look at some ways to put dashes to work in your writing.

1. To prepare off material for emphasis. Recall of dashes every bit the reverse of parentheses. Where parentheses indicate that the reader should put less emphasis on the enclosed material, dashes point that the reader should pay more attention to the textile between the dashes. Dashes add together drama—parentheses whisper. Dashes can be used for emphasis in several means:
A single dash can emphasize material at the beginning or cease of a sentence.

Example: After lxxx years of dreaming, the elderly man realized information technology was time to finally revisit the land of his youth—Ireland.

Instance: "The Office"—a harmless television program or a dangerously subversive guide to delinquency in the workplace?

Two dashes can emphasize fabric in the middle of a sentence. Some style and grammar guides fifty-fifty permit you to write a consummate sentence inside the dashes.

Case: Everything I saw in my new neighborhood—from the svelte elm copse to the stately brick buildings—reminded me of my alma mater.

Example (complete sentence): The students—they were each over the age of eighteen—lined upward in the streets to vote for the presidential candidates.

Two dashes tin can emphasize a modifier. Words or phrases that depict a substantive can be set off with dashes if y'all wish to emphasize them.

Example: The fairgrounds—common cold and wet in the October pelting—were deserted.

Example: Nettie—her chin held loftier—walked out into the storm.

two. To bespeak sentence introductions or conclusions. Yous can sometimes employ a dash to help readers see that certain words are meant as an introduction or decision to your sentence.

Case: Books, paper, pencils—many students lacked even the simplest tools for learning in nineteenth-century America.

Example: To improve their health, Americans should critically examine the foods that they eat—fast food, fatty fried foods, junk nutrient, and sugary snacks.

3. To mark "bonus phrases." Phrases that add together data or clarify but are not necessary to the meaning of a sentence are ordinarily set off with commas. But when the phrase itself already contains one or more commas, dashes can help readers understand the sentence.

Slightly confusing instance with commas: Fifty-fifty the simplest tasks, washing, dressing, and going to piece of work, were nearly impossible after I bankrupt my leg.

Better case with dashes: Even the simplest tasks—washing, dressing, and going to work—were near incommunicable after I broke my leg.

4. To break up dialogue. In written dialogue, if a speaker suddenly or abruptly stops speaking, hesitates in speech, or is cut off by another speaker, a dash tin can indicate the break or interruption.

Example: "I—I don't know what you're talking virtually," denied the politician.

Example: Mimi began to explain herself, proverb, "I was thinking—" "I don't care what y'all were thinking," Rodolpho interrupted.

We hope that this handout has helped yous ameliorate sympathize colons, semicolons, and dashes! For more than information about punctuation, exist sure to check out our handout on commas.

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