Semicolons, Colons, Hyphens & DashesBy Ralea M. Haun

Pre-Teaching Activity• What is a colon?• What is a semicolon?• What is a hyphen?• What is a dash?

Answers• A colon is used to mark a major division in a

sentence, to indicate that what follows is an elaboration, summation, implication; or to separate groups of numbers referring to different things

• A semicolon is used to indicate a major division in a sentence where a more distinct separation is felt between clauses.

• A hyphen is a short, single-character line which connects word parts.

• A dash is a longer line—double the length of a hyphen—which indicates a break or interruption in the thought

Semicolons• A semicolon is the punctuation mark (;) used to

indicate a major division in a sentence where a more distinct separation is felt between clauses.

• A semicolon is more than a comma, but less than a period, so it combines the two into a single punctuation mark.

How To Use a Semicolon• There are two uses for a semicolon• #1 Use a semicolon in place of a comma plus conjunction

when combining clauses in a sentence• Ex: Many Americans love baseball; in fact, it’s

sometimes called the Great American Pastime.• Sometimes, a writer might use a conjunctive adverb to

explain the relationship between two independent clauses• Ex: Coach wants to make sure we win the

championship next week; therefore, we have extra practices this week.

How To Use a Semicolon• #2 Use a semicolon to separate items in a series

if one or more of the series items already contains a comma • Ex: At the pet store last night, I bought an aquarium, a

filter, and three fish. • In the sentence above, each series item is easily

identified. However, if one or more items in the series contains a comma already, use a semicolon to separate the series items.

• I also looked at a beagle; a golden retriever; and a Australian cattle dog and Siberian husky mix.• Without the semicolons in the sentence above, readers

might have trouble figuring out how many dogs he actually saw.

Two Cautions For Semicolons 1. Make sure you do not use both a semicolon and a conjunction in the same sentence.

2. Avoid overusing semicolons

Colons• A colon is used to mark a major division in a

sentence, to indicate that what follows is an elaboration, summation, implication; or to separate groups of numbers referring to different things

• A colon says that you have introduced what will follow. Think of is as a pair of eyes pointing to what is coming next.

How To Use a Colon• The main use: Use a colon to follow an

introduction.• Sometimes you might want to introduce

something before you give the details. A colon separates the introduction from what is being introduced.• Ex: Football requires players to develop multiple skills:

running, passing, tackling, and blocking.• So far, colons seem easy. Colons are misused a lot

because they have to follow a few rules.

Rules of Colons• A colon may be placed only after a complete independent

clause. • Incorrect: Meanwhile: we wasted two hours wandering around the

airport.• The introductory word “Meanwhile” should be followed by a comma

rather than a colon• Correct: Meanwhile, we wasted two hours wandering around the airport.

• Don’t use a colon with an introductory phrase. Using introductory phrases accomplishes the same thing as a colon.• Incorrect: By the age of twelve, most people catch the “childhood

diseases,” for example: measles, mumps and the chicken pox.• The phrase “for example” and the colon mean the same thing. Use

one or the other not both. • Correct: By the age of twelve, most people catch the “childhood

diseases”: measles, mumps, and the chicken pox.

Rules of Colons (cont.)• Don’t use a colon between a preposition and its

object. • Incorrect: The mall includes: Forever 21, Dillards, and

Belk.• Correct: The mall includes Forever 21, Dillards, and Belk.

• Never use more than one colon in a sentence! • Incorrect: The President’s new policy on stem cell

research is controversial: it has been praised and criticized by members of both parties: Republican and Democrat.• Correct: The President’s new policy on stem cell research

is controversial: it has been praised and criticized by both Republicans and Democrats.

Other Uses of Colons• Use a colon to separate the chapter and the verse

in biblical references• Use a colon to separate the hour and minutes in a

time reference• Use a colon to separate a title and a subtitle

Hyphens• What does a Hyphen do?• Hyphens function to avoid confusion and misreading by

joining compound words including nouns and other modifiers.

• How many uses of a hyphen are there?• There are seven

The Seven Uses of a Hyphen1. Use hyphens with compound numbers between twenty-one and ninety-nine• Also use hyphens to separate numerators and denominators

in fractions2. Use hyphens with some compound nouns

• Ex: Mother-in-law• Do not use hyphens with other compound nouns• Ex: toothpaste

3. Use hyphens to join coequal nouns• Ex: writer-illustrator

• Do not use hyphens between nouns in which the first noun modifies or describes the second• Ex: football player

The Seven Uses of a Hyphen (cont.)4. Use hyphens to join compound modifiers that precede nouns

• Ex: middle-class family5. Use hyphens to separate words in phrases functioning as modifiers that precede nouns

• Ex: all-you-can-eat buffet6. Use hyphens with certain prefixes and suffixes• all-, anti-, -elect, ex-, mid-, neo-, post-, and self-• Ex: all-purpose

• Do not use hyphens with most other prefixes• Ex: unhappy

7. Use hyphens to avoid confusion and misreading• Ex: re-sign (as in to sign again, not to resign or quit)

Dashes• A dash is used to emphasize what follows• Use dashes sparingly: not more than a pair per sentence

in informal writing and (if possible) not more than per paragraph in formal writing

• Use a dash for a change of topic within a sentence• Ex: This very important—are you listening to me?

• Use a dash if the information that follows is surprising• Ex: We went shopping in London—and saw Big Ben

• Use a dash to show hesitation• Ex: I want to go get something to eat—Chinese?

Dashes (cont.)• Use a dash to indicate a summarizing clause• Ex: Jane, Jim, and Susan-they all were taken back.

• Use a dash to indicate an emphasized addition• Use a dash to enclose emphasized additional

information which interrupts the normal progression of the sentence• Ex: He wanted us-Caron, Susan, and I-to meet his family.

Dash vs. Hyphen• A hyphen is a short, single-character line which

connects word parts.• A dash is a longer line—double the length of a

hyphen—which indicates a break or interruption in the thought