Grammar Lesson: The Colon and Semicolon (page 2)

The Colon

1. Use a colon (:) to introduce a list or series of items.
   You should have the following books and supplies with you on the first day of class: Roget's Thesaurus, two pencils, a dictionary, and two notebooks.
   These are the eight parts of speech: noun, pronoun, adjective, verb, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and interjection.

Note: A colon should not follow directly after a verb or a preposition. The following two sentences include incorrect uses of the colon.

The two days of the weekend are: Saturday and Sunday.
We saw our dog run into: the woods, the house, and the neighbor's backyard.
2. Use a colon after the salutation of a business letter.
   Dear Sirs:
   Dear Madam:
3. Use a colon between the hour and the minute of time.
   It is now 4:22.
   The train is due here at 5:08.
4. Use a colon between a title and a subtitle.
   Mary Shelley wrote the novel Frankenstein: or, the Modern Prometheus.
   Did William Shakespeare write Twelfth Night: Or What You Will?

Activity 1

Place colons where they are needed within these sentences.

1. Please bring the following items with you watch, ring, cell phone, and pen.
2. Dear Madam (as the salutation of a business letter)
3. The following students have been selected for the varsity debate team Matthew, Hillary, and Sophia.
4. My grandfather saw the movie Superman The Movie in 1979.
5. Were you there at 440 that afternoon?

Activity 2

Insert any colon or semicolon where needed. The other marks of punctuation are correctly placed in these sentences.

1. Harriet loved to go to the shore her brother really enjoyed going with her.
2. The boater was speeding around the lake for two hours in fact, he was starting to annoy the people on the beach.
3. My great-grandfather's favorite movies include the following Vacation, starring Chevy Chase One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, starring Jack Nicholson and Funny Girl, starring Barbra Streisand.
4. Our fitness instructor recommends these healthy foods carrots, peanuts, apples, grapes, and celery.
5. Let us plan to meet at 110 on the train platform.
6. (The secretary started her business letter with the following words)
   Dear General McNamee
   We would like to invite you…
7. The author told the audience members that she plans to entitle her next book Surfing A Sport Like No Others.
8. Our tour guide offered the group trips to these places Juneau, the capital of Alaska St. Louis, the Gateway to the West and San Francisco, the City by the Bay.
9. We need to reach our goal of $10,000 in two weeks therefore we will step up our phone campaign starting tomorrow.
10. The nurse spent much time with that one patient as a result, her time spent with the next few patients will be reduced.

Answers

Activity 1

1. Please bring the following items with you: watch, ring, cell phone, and pen.
2. Dear Madam: (as the salutation of a business letter)
3. The following students have been selected for the varsity debate team: Matthew, Hillary, and Sophia.
4. My grandfather saw the movie Superman: The Movie in 1979.
5. Were you at the site at 4:40 that afternoon?

Activity 2

1. Harriet loved to go to the shore; her brother really enjoyed going with her.
2. The boater was speeding around the lake for two hours; in fact, he was starting to annoy the people on the beach.
3. My great-grandfather's favorite movies include the following: Vacation, starring Chevy Chase; One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, starring Jack Nicholson; and Funny Girl, starring Barbra Streisand.
4. Our fitness instructor recommends these healthy foods: carrots, peanuts, apples, grapes, and celery.
5. Let us plan to meet at 1:10 on the train platform.
6. (The secretary started her business letter with these words)
   Dear General McNamee:
   We would like to invite you …
7. The author told the audience members that she plans to entitle her next book Surfing: A Sport Like No Others.
8. Our tour guide offered the group trips to these places: Juneau, the capital of Alaska; St. Louis, the Gateway to the West; and San Francisco, the City by the Bay.
9. We need to reach our goal of $10,000 in two weeks; therefore, we will step up our phone campaign starting tomorrow.
10. The nurse spent much time with that one patient; as a result, her time spent with the next few patients will be reduced.