Ch. 17 - 2 Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 8e Objectives Use semicolons correctly in...

Mary Ellen Guffey, Business English, 8e Ch. 17 - 2

Objectives• Use semicolons correctly in

punctuating compound sentences.

• Use semicolons when necessary to separate items in a series.

• Distinguish between the proper and improper use of colons to introduce listed items.

Semicolons and Colons


• Use colons to introduce quotations and explanatory sentences.

• Distinguish between the use of commas and semicolons preceding expressions such as namely, that is, and for instance.




• Understand why semicolons are sometimes necessary to separate independent clauses joined by and, or, nor, or but.

• Capitalize words appropriately following colons, when necessary.


Independent Clauses With Conjunctive Adverbs

• Use a semicolon with two independent clauses separated by a conjunctive adverb.

Profits are good; therefore, we will pay dividends.

Basic Uses of the Semicolon


Independent Clauses With Conjunctive Adverbs

• Use a semicolon with two or more closely related independent clauses not separated by a conjunctive adverb or a coordinating conjunction.Common stock carries voting rights; preferred stock does not carry such rights.



Series With Internal Commas• Use a semicolon to separate items in a

series when one or more of the items contain internal commas.

Some of the dignitaries attending are Karen Howie, NMC; Barbara J. Malon, WITC; and Kathleen Stewart, MVCC.




Series of Independent Clauses• Use a semicolon to separate a series

of three or more independent clauses.

The union shop recognizes compulsory union membership of all employees;

the closed shop requires all new employees to be members of the

union before hiring; and the open shop allows either status.


Add semicolons and commas where needed.

1. We all learn by experience however some of us have to go to summer school.

Check your skill . . .



1. We all learn by experience; however, some of us have to go to summer school.




2. The committee is considering the Victorian Inn, Minneapolis, Minnesota the Hampton Inn, Appleton, Wisconsin and the Days Inn, Austin, Minnesota.




2. The committee is considering the Victorian Inn, Minneapolis, Minnesota; the Hampton Inn, Appleton, Wisconsin; and the Days Inn, Austin, Minnesota.




3. Nordstrom does not sell clothing it sells service.




3. Nordstrom does not sell clothing; itsells service.



Introduction of a List• Use a colon after an independent

clause introducing a formal list of items whether the list is vertical or horizontal.

Promotion depends on the following factors: ability, preparation, and

performance.

Basic Uses of the Colon


Introduction of a ListThis summer we plan to visit the following

cities:

1. New Orleans

2. Orlando

3. Savannah



Introduction of a List• To justify a colon, be sure that

the group of words introducing the list is a complete independent clause.

The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue.





The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue.

[Incomplete clause, no colon used]





The primary colors are the following: red, yellow, and blue.





The primary colors are the following: red, yellow, and blue.

[Complete clause, colon used]



Introduction of a List• Do not use a colon when the list

follows a verb or a preposition.

The candidates for president are Beverly Forsberg, Joella Hundley, and Edward J. Mautz.



Introduction of a List• Do not use a colon when the list

follows a verb or a preposition.

The candidates for president are Beverly Forsberg, Joella Hundley, and Edward J. Mautz.

Budget requests have been received from Payroll, Personnel, and Engineering.



Introduction of a List• Do not use a colon when an additional

sentence falls between the introductory statement and the list.Clerical staff to be invited are in the following

departments. Contact them at once. Legal Services Reprographics Quality Control



Introduction of Long Quotations• Use a colon to introduce long one-

sentence quotations and quotations of two or more sentences.



Introduction of Long QuotationsMarketing Manager Schroeder said: “About

half the sales price of a product pays for the marketing activities required to

provide the customer with a finished product; the other half pays for raw materials and processing of that product.”



Second Clauses That Explain• Use a colon to separate two

independent clauses if the second clause explains, illustrates, or supplements the first.

Mr. Adams had only one goal: he wanted to offer the best product at the lowest possible price.



Incomplete Quotations• Incomplete quotations not interrupting

the flow of a sentence do not require a colon, a comma, or an initial capital letter.

The state of Minnesota is sometimes described as “the land of 10,000 lakes.”



Add colons, semicolons, and commas where needed.

1. We plan sales during the following holidays Easter July Fourth and Christmas.




1. We plan sales during the following holidays: Easter, July Fourth, and Christmas.




2. Disney delivers the same entertainment experience to people in New York Boise and Tokyo.




2. Disney delivers the same entertainment experience to people in New York, Boise, and Tokyo.




3. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau said “Canada is a country whose main exports are hockey players and cold fronts. Its main imports are baseball players and acid rain.”




3. Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau said: “Canada is a country whose main exports are hockey players and cold fronts. Its main imports are baseball players and acid rain.”




4. J. Paul Getty provided this formula for success rise early, work hard, and strike oil.




4. J. Paul Getty provided this formula for success: rise early, work hard, and strike oil.



Introductory Expressions• When an introductory expression

such as namely, for instance, that is, or for example is used immediately following an independent clause, it may be preceded by either a comma or a semicolon.

Special Semicolon and Colon Considerations


Introductory Expressions• If the words following the introductory

expression appear at the end of a sentence and form a series or an independent clause, use a semicolon before the introductory expression. If not, use a comma.



Introductory ExpressionsSome services must be curtailed; namely, customer assistance, equipment

installation, and training.[Namely introduces a series]

Two superior teachers won acclaim, namely, Jane Rada and Carol Vermeere.[Namely does not introduce a series or an

independent clause]



Exception to a Comma Rule• Normally, a comma precedes a

coordinating conjunction (and, or, nor, but) when it joins two independent clauses.

• If either of the independent clauses contains a comma and the reader may be confused, many writers prefer to use a semicolon to separate the clauses.



Exception to a Comma RuleOn Thursday, June 1, we discussed this at a

meeting with Juan Marcos, your team leader; and Rosa Avila proposed the best solution.



Capitalization After Colons

• Do not capitalize the initial letters of words or phrases listed following a colon unless the words are proper nouns or appear vertically.



Capitalization After ColonsThe chief job areas are the following:

personal selling, advertising, and market research.

The chief job areas are the following: Personal selling

Advertising Market research




• Do not capitalize the first letter of an independent clause following a colon if that clause explains the first one.

You will find the company’s new loan plan attractive for this reason: it will save you one year’s interest.




• Capitalize the first letter in an independent clause following a colon if that clause states a formal rule or principle.

When typesetting a newsletter column, follow this rule: Place only one space after a period at the end of a sentence.




• Capitalize the initial letters of each complete sentence of a quotation following a colon.

Admiral Hyman Rickover stated: “Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.”



Other Colon Usage

• Use a colon after a business letter salutation.

Dear Mr. Jameson:

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Dear Courtney:



Other Colon Usage

• Use a colon to separate hours from minutes.

3:15 p.m.

12:33 a.m.



Other Colon Usage

• Use a colon between titles and subtitles.

HOW: A Handbook for Office Professionals



Other Colon Usage

• In a bibliographical citation, use a colon between the place of publication and the name of the publisher.

Guffey, Mary Ellen. Essentials of Business Communication. Cincinnati: South-Western Publishing, 2004.



Insert necessary punctuation. (The sentence may already be correct.)

1. The suggested reading for today is Customer Service A Quick Guide.




1. The suggested reading for today is Customer Service: A Quick Guide.




2. Several teachers are members of the Chamber of Commerce: namely, John Miller, Gary Meier, and Dennis Bergquist.




2. Several teachers are members of the Chamber of Commerce; namely, John Miller, Gary Meier, and Dennis Bergquist.




3. Several people were asked to work overtime including Susan, Ryan, and Seth, and Marilyn was asked to supervise.




3. Several people were asked to work overtime including Susan, Ryan, and Seth; and Marilyn was asked to supervise.




4. The manager set three times for employee breaks 1015 a.m., 1230 p.m., and 315 p.m.




4. The manager set three times for employee breaks: 10:15 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 3:15 p.m.



Correct punctuation and capitalization errors. (The sentence may already be correct.)

5. Please use the spell-checking aid for this reason: It catches most of the words spelled incorrectly.



Correct punctuation and capitalization errors. (The sentence may already be correct.)

5. Please use the spell-checking aid for this reason: it catches most of the words spelled incorrectly.



Select the correctly punctuated sentence.

1. (a) Our prices are reasonable, consequently we have a large-volume business.

(b) Our prices are reasonable; consequently, we have a large-volume business.

(c) Our prices are reasonable, consequently; we have a large-volume business.

Chapter 17 - Quiz



1. (a) Our prices are reasonable, consequently we have a large-volume business.

(b) Our prices are reasonable; consequently, we have a large-volume business.

(c) Our prices are reasonable, consequently; we have a large-volume business.

Chapter 17 - Quiz



2. (a) Shipments have been made to Toledo, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia; and Lubbock, Texas.

(b) Shipments have been made to Toledo, Ohio, Atlanta, Georgia, and Lubbock, Texas.

(c) Shipments have been made to Toledo; Ohio, Atlanta; Georgia, and Lubbock, Texas.

Chapter 17 - Quiz


Select the correctly punctuated sentence.3. (a) Your order was received today, your

graphics board will be shipped tomorrow.

(b) Your order was received today your graphics board will be shipped tomorrow.

(c) Your order was received today; your graphics board will be shipped tomorrow.

Chapter 17 - Quiz


Select the correctly punctuated sentence.4. (a) I’m on a seafood diet, I see food and

I eat it. (b) I’m on a seafood diet I see food and I

eat it. (c) I’m on a seafood diet; I see food and

I eat it.

Chapter 17 - Quiz


Select the correctly punctuated sentence.5. (a) Equipment price bids have been received

from: IBM, Apple, and Dell. (b) Equipment price bids have been received

from IBM, Apple, and Dell. (c) Equipment price bids have been received

from; IBM, Apple, and Dell.

Chapter 17 - Quiz


Select the correctly punctuated sentence.6. (a) Send checks to these employees. Their

payments are long overdue.

Ken Kim Greg EvronLee Sims Lisa Biggs

(b) Send checks to these employees: Their payments are long overdue.


Chapter 17 - Quiz


Select the correctly punctuated sentence.6. (a) Send checks to these employees. Their

payments are long overdue.


(b) Send checks to these employees: Their payments are long overdue.


Chapter 17 - Quiz



7. (a) Our CEO said “Character is what you are in the dark.”

(b) Our CEO said: “Character is what you are in the dark.”

(c) Our CEO said, “Character is what you are in the dark.”

Chapter 17 - Quiz


Select the correctly punctuated sentence.8. (a) The nominating committee is deadlocked

over three candidates, namely, Todd Fisher, Andrea Yager, and Dudley Moore.

(b) The nominating committee is deadlocked over three candidates; namely, Todd

Fisher, Andrea Yager, and Dudley Moore.(c) The nominating committee is deadlocked

over three candidates: namely, Todd Fisher, Andrea Yager, and Dudley Moore.

Chapter 17 - Quiz



9. (a) Good writers observe this rule: use familiar words whenever possible.

(b) Good writers observe this rule: Use familiar words whenever possible.

(c) Good writers observe this rule; Use familiar words whenever possible.

Chapter 17 - Quiz


Select the correctly punctuated sentence.10. (a) An acre of corn yields 250 gallons of

gasohol, an acre of sugar beets, 350 gallons.

(b) An acre of corn yields 250 gallons of gasohol; an acre of sugar beets 350

gallons.(c) An acre of corn yields 250 gallons of

gasohol; an acre of sugar beets, 350 gallons.

Chapter 17 - Quiz


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