Practicing Grammar: Colons and Semicolons

Circle the letter of the sentence which is grammatically correct.

1.A. The critics considered the book as: trivial, boring, and smutty.

  1. The critics characterized the book in the following ways: trivial, boring, and smutty.

2.A. These were the movies nominated for the 1994 Movie-of-the-Year Award: The Piano, Jurassic

Park, and Schindler’s List.

B. The movies nominated for the 1994 Movie-of-the-Year Award are: The Piano, Jurassic Park, and

Schindler’s list

3.A. He became a Writing Lab tutor because: he loved grammar and the pay was generous.

  1. He became a Writing Lab tutor because of two considerations: he loved grammar and the pay was generous.

4.A. We spend a lot of money paying the bills: gas, electric, and insurance.

  1. We spend a lot of money on the bills, paying: gas, electric, and insurance.

5.A. The students could be characterized as: loud, rude, obnoxious, and disobedient.

  1. This is how we could characterize students: calm, listeners, hard-workers, and obedient.

6.A. Hailey looked lovingly across the way at him; he was her everything.

B. Hailey looked lovingly across the way at him; the trees were grouped in three.

7.A. Adam hated playing sports; instead, he loved to read books on the couch.

  1. Adam hated playing sports; Dr. Seuss was a genius.

8.A. There was a long time between; the game, the play and the ballet.

  1. There was a long time between the game, the play, and the ballet.

9.A. Nothing bothered Jeremiah; he was known to be fearless.

  1. Jeremiah was not bothered by anything; but rats and geese.

10.A. He spoke softly, however, he carried a big stick.

  1. He spoke softly; however, he carried a big stick.

11.A. A lot of good literature is often ignored; however, there is too much to read in one lifetime.

  1. A lot of good literature is often ignored: however, there is too much to read in one lifetime.

12.A. Sports can be great for the academic system. Except when they are the main focus.

  1. Sports can be great for the academic system; that is, unless sports become the main focus.

13.A. English class is the most useful class there is: especially, when the teachers are awesome.

  1. English class is the most useful class there is; especially, when the teachers are awesome.

14.A. Brianna loved her wheatgrass drinks after she added: strawberries, mango, or any other fruit.

  1. Brianna loved her wheatgrass drinks after she added strawberries, mango, or any other fruit.

Indicate by Yes or No if the following sentences COULD be connected, perhaps with a little revision, by a colon or semicolon. If Yes, revise the sentence.

______1.Devan had several admirable qualities. He was handsome, intelligent, and his father owned a liquor store.

______2.Tyler stayed up all night cramming for the exam. Nevertheless, he failed it.

______3.Josie always packed the same things in her lunch box. For lunch Shannon had a salami sandwich, a banana, and coffee.

______4.Keeley’s putting, on the green, on the final day was erratic. Consequently, Kelly lost the golf tournament.

______5.Gracelynn was always worrying about something. She worried most about spiders, snakes, and homework.

______6. Max was tired of being a chef. His dreams were much greater than being in the kitchen.

______7.Myah was not always so loud and flamboyant. She used to be pretty shy, if you can believe it.

______8.There was always so much work to be done. Teachers are responsible for grading, creating worksheets, helping students, and meetings after school.

Each set of sentences needs colons and semicolons to combine or revise the sentences. Determine which one needs a colon or semicolon (there will be one of each in each set) and revise each sentence:

1.A. The following students must report to the Principal’s office. Jones, Murphy, Jackson, and Weidner, to

the office.

  1. The following students must report to the Principal’s office. I don’t know why, but it must be important.

2.A. Here is a famous saying by Mark Twain. “Man is the only animal that blushes, or needs to.”

B. Here is a famous saying by Mark Twain. When you read it, you will recognize it immediately.

3.A. There is only one thing I expect from my dog. That is complete obedience.

  1. There is only one thing I expect from my dog. It is not really too much to ask.

4.A. It was just as she suspected. Her fears were now confirmed.

  1. It was just as she suspected. Gambler, broke, debt.

5.A. There were a lot of requirements to the speech. Eye contact, pace, organization, and more.

  1. There were a lot of requirements to the speech. It required eye contact, pace, organization, and more.

Write a sentence including the given items and using a colon or semicolon correctly[MJ1].

  1. Tommy wrote to Santa Clause.

He wanted a sled, an air rifle, and a catcher’s mitt.

  1. A brilliant characterization of Eleanor Roosevelt by Adlai Stevenson.

“She would rather light candles than curse the darkness.”

  1. Finalists in the horse show.

Misty, Blaze, Pepper.

  1. Jermaine wanted a red convertible.

He had but one thought in mind.

  1. There was a great desire to carve Mount Rushmore.

However, the carving was met with many setbacks.

  1. Dinner smelled amazing.

We ate dinner without delay.

  1. The Lord of the Rings changed the way we viewed fiction literature.

The literary canon doesn’t usually include the series.

  1. The children were so angry and tired.

Their parents sent them to their rooms to calm down.

  1. The fragrance of the chocolate was intoxicating.

It smelled rich, deep and delectable.

  1. Power requires two people.

It takes two, one to be the subject and the other to be in authority.

  1. Thomas Edison said many things.

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

  1. The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances.

If there is any reaction, both are transformed. – Carl Jung

The following sentences need some punctuation help. Fill in the blank with a colon or semicolon.

  1. The title of the book was 50 Essays _ Diction, Tone and Style
  1. The team was consistent in its weak serving and poor spiking _ consequently, it was firmly entrenched in the last place.
  1. The manager knew the reason attendance had fallen off _ his team was always in last place.
  1. I know why you will like my cousins _ they are rich.
  1. Meditation brings wisdom _ lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back. - Buddha
  1. Harmony stayed up all night studying for the exam _ nevertheless, she failed miserably.
  1. It is not difficult to understand why Dixie failed the exam _ she stayed up all night studying.
  1. Girls are made of sugar and spice _ boys are made of snails and puppy dogs’ tails.
  1. There is an old saying that goes something like this _ girls are made of sugar and spice, but little boys are made of snails and puppy dogs’ tails.
  1. The salesperson rang the doorbell _ however, he also banged on the front windows.
  1. “Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you _ reprove a wise man, and he will love you.” – Proverbs
  1. He knew a way to have the world beat a path to his door _ build a better mousetrap.
  1. A colon gives the following sign to the reader _ “Look ahead, here it comes.”
  1. Often a writer will wish to indicate to his/her reader that the thoughts in several sentences are closely related _ consequently, he/she will use semicolons rather than periods.
  1. My teachers at school requested the following supplies _ glue, scissors, notebooks, and highlighters.
  1. The Great Gatsby is a wonderful read _ however, you have to like that sort of thing.
  1. Obiwan recognized a great disturbance in the force _ he sensed that Alderaan had just been destroyed.
  1. Marvel Comics have developed an amazing universe of superheroes _ some would say that it is better than DC Comics universe.
  1. Sewing is one of many useful skills _ many would also consider it a good hobby.
  1. The past is the past, not much can be done about it _ it is there to teach us lessons for the future.
  1. All human actions have one or more of these seven causes _ chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire. – Aristotle
  1. “Work spares us from three evils _ boredom, vice, and need.” – Voltaire

Each of the following sentences need a colon or semicolon. Put in the necessary punctuation.

  1. Many companies make sugar-free soft drinks, which are flavored by synthetic chemicals the drinks usually contain only one or two calories per serving.
  1. The following donations are especially needed glue, scissors, and notebooks.
  1. The hill was covered with wildflowers it was a beautiful sight.
  1. The artist preferred to paint in oils he did not like watercolors.
  1. In the city center, cars are not allowed that is, automobiles must be parked outside the city perimeter.
  1. The house was clean, the table set, and the porch light on everything was ready for the guests' arrival.
  1. The computer could perform millions of operations in a split second however, it could not think spontaneously.
  1. The dog, growling and snarling, snapped at me I was so frightened that I ran.
  1. Dear Mr. President
  1. The snowstorm dumped twelve inches of snow on the interstate subsequently, the state police closed the road.
  1. The suspect said that he had never met the victim however, the detective knew that he was lying.
  1. In the first place, it was snowing too hard to see the road in the second place, we had no chains.
  1. He hired some assistants veterinary students and other people with training.
  1. San Francisco is my favorite city in fact, I plan to spend two weeks there this summer.
  1. Large supermarkets fascinate me I can find everything from frozen chow mein to soybean flour in one place.
  1. Ron and Mike were both in English class this morning they gave an interesting presentation on their research.
  1. We wanted to go moreover, we made plans and bought tickets
  1. Riding a bicycle is excellent exercise I ride mine every day.
  1. Local business supported him they gave him supplies and money
  1. I am not interested in a trip to Asia this year however, I would like to go to Europe.
  1. Jack worked overtime to pay off his education debts at least, that was his explanation for his long hours.
  1. The Endangered Species Act contains a potential problem for property owners, the government refuses to compensate them for the inconveniences imposed.
  1. Our dog seems to have a built-in alarm clock he wakes us up at exactly the same time every morning.
  1. I realized at once that something was wrong, however, I was not the only person who was concerned.
  1. I had to complete the assignment by Friday otherwise, I would have failed the course.
  1. I drive my car much less than I did ten years ago I work at home now.
  1. We always go to the mountains in the fall they are at their prettiest at that time of year.
  1. Tim went to the candy store quite often the clerk even knew his name.
  1. Criticism of capitalist expansionism does not surface in most discussions of the worldwide ecological crisis indeed, proposed solutions rarely deviate from a basic message of further technological "progress."
  1. The office was closed consequently, I could not pay my bill.
  1. The air was beautifully clear it was a lovely day.
  1. You must bring basic supplies to class a pen or pencil, paper, a highlighter, and a textbook.
  1. The jeweler’s “four Cs” of appraising diamonds are these Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carats.
  1. He was dehydrated he had drunk no water in days.
  1. Whole grains are better than refined grains they have more fiber. They are also more filling.
  1. He became a veterinarian he couldn’t stand to see animals suffer.
  1. Stephen King has been busy he has written more than 27 novels since 1974.
  1. We forgot to ask about visa consequently, we were not permitted to enter.
  1. Whitehead often spoke of his writing style “Style is the ultimate morality of mind.”
  1. He’s travelling to Bangalore, India Manila, Philippines Tokyo, Japan.
  1. He couldn’t go home he had no place to go.
  1. The airport terminal is rather confusing to get around give yourself plenty of time to find your gate.
  1. I wanted to go late she wanted to go on time.
  1. Security is high at the airport car trunks, suitcases, and people are carefully searched.
  1. She had to go she called a friend to drive her.
  1. The computer can perform many calculations at once however, it cannot reason at all.
  1. The challenges are not impossible they are very hard to clear.
  1. The artist preferred to paint in oils he did not like water colors.

In the following exercises, examine the use of each colon and semicolon. For any colons or semicolons that are used incorrectly, correct the sentence or list. If it is correct, put a ‘C’ beside the number.

  1. Tammy’s shopping list made it clear she was pregnant because the list included: doughnuts, anchovies, pickles, ice cream, potato sausage, and hot sauce.
  1. Incorporating a variety of different exercises into a workout plan produces the best results: training exercises to consider include bicep curls, lunges, squats, mountain climbers and more.
  1. The only person who matters in this decision is: you.
  1. The ingredients for the cake are: flour, sugar, baking powder, vanilla, and eggs.
  1. The symptoms of the flu include the following: headaches, dizziness, sweating, fatigue, vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea.
  1. The prisoner pleaded with his accusers; “I am innocent. Innocent, I tell you!”
  1. The manager plans to address various aspects of employee behavior with the memo, including: arriving to work late, taking too long of a lunch break, and exhibiting rude behavior to customers.
  1. Organized-crime organizations, such as the mafia, usually focus their illegal activities in: tax evasion via money laundering, fraud, and drug trafficking.
  1. The activist emphasized his support of civil rights by reciting the words from a portion of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech: “Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.”
  1. However you look at it: the price of gas continues to rise for superficial reasons which makes driving a burden to many families around the country.
  1. When you are trying to lose weight, you must stay very focused: on one thing – your diet.
  1. The solution includes: educating the children; promoting job opportunities, and offering micro loans to entrepreneurs.
  1. People are far too distracted; they talk on the phone, check email, and watch television at the same time.
  1. We forgot to ask about a visa; we were not permitted to enter.
  1. The inner city has small narrow streets; for example, there is/are Independence Street and Central Street.
  1. Alaska is rich in several natural resources: oil, gold, copper, and uranium.
  1. Only one city is called “eternal”: Rome.
  1. The conference has people who have come from Moscow, Idaho; Springfiled, California; Alamo, Tennessee; and other places as well.

The following paragraph is riddled with grammatical mistakes and potential uses for colons and semicolons. Go through the paragraph and correct the mistakes (These could be missing colons and semicolons or incorrect uses of them) and place colons and semicolons where appropriate.

Noah was a young man; being only about fifteen years old. Despite his young age, he enjoyed doing a number of different sports: football, soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. Noah’s parents did everything to make it possible for their kids to do everything they wanted to: but it did not always work. This was especially true when Noah’s dad, Jarell, lost his job and started to receive unemployment: cut backs caused the job loss and too many people in the job market made it very tough to get a job. Money was tight and so was time; both being so short that Noah was faced with having to choose what to give up. Noah absolutely abhorred this decision. The decision was going to be extremely tough. Noah’s sister, Kira, was also faced with a tough decision she would have to give up some after school activities. Kira, who was seventeen, was the brainiest kid around; she played chess, ran the book club, and even helped teachers come up with the homework. She was planning on being a teacher; or a veterinarian; or a brain surgeon; she had not quite decided yet. Alas, she was now forced to pick one activity to keep: just like Noah. Both Noah and Kira begrudgingly chose their activities; Noah chose soccer and Kira chose book club. It worked out for a while; it worked out until the dreadful day that their parents came to them and said: “Noah, Kira, you know we love you, and we didn’t want this to happen, but you both need to find a job to help support the family and your activities.” Immediately, both Noah and Kira felt their world crumble like blue cheese: a shattered mirror, or an overused engine seal. Kira took it the best, of course, responding: “I will do what I can, but how will we get to work if money is that tight?” Noah also chimed in, though it was hard to make out what he was saying through the grumbles. Their parents were devastated at having to ask this; nothing more could be done; they had tried everything else. Jarell had tried everything; at least he thought so. Jarell and had even started applying to jobs in other cities and states: Nampa, Idaho; Star, Idaho; Bend, Oregon; Melville, Montana; and Uvalde, Texas for some examples. It took several months, and the family did the best they could; but in the end, they came out okay. Noah and Kira had to move during that school year; to a new school in a weird town called Kuna. The family finally made it, and some normalcy was allowed to return, however, nothing can ever be as it really was. Really, it could only get better; and better.