Punctuation Department · Today with The Mayor

Semicolon & Colon

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Semicolon & Colon

Tap an officer to meet them, then work through each one.

Join two complete thoughts with a semicolon

A semicolon separates items in a series when the items themselves contain commas, so the boundary between one item and the next stays clear.

In a sentence

We visited Reno, Nevada ; Provo, Utah ; and Boise, Idaho.

The cast included Mehta, the lead ; Ruiz, the director.

Now you try

Each side must stand on its own. Like: I was tired; I kept reading.

Introduce what follows with a colon

A colon can introduce a direct quotation or an emphatic statement after a complete clause. Court Reporter Quotation Marks supplies the quotation marks; the colon sets up the quote.

In a sentence

The coach said one thing : “Never give up.”

Her message was simple : everyone was welcome.

Now you try

After a complete statement, a colon can introduce a quotation. Like: She left one note: "Back soon."

One joins, one introduces

Both joiners require a complete clause in front of them. The semicolon balances it against a second independent clause; the colon introduces what follows. The semicolon joins; the colon introduces.

In a sentence

The audience hushed ; the curtain rose.

He left one note : “Back at noon.”

Now you try

A semicolon balances two complete thoughts; a colon introduces what comes next.