Khan academy is a nonprofit with the mission of providing a free, worldclass education for anyone, anywhere. This handout explains the most common uses of three kinds of punctuation. Words like however, moreover, thus, and therefore, are often used as connectors in these sentences. Use this quiz worksheet combo to help you test your understanding of colons, semicolons, and periods. Colons and semicolons are two valuable pieces of punctuation that separate sentence elements from each other. Use a colonnot a semicolonwhen what follows the punctuation restates what comes before. Exercising helps to keep you healthy and fit proper nutrition is also important. Here are the two most common uses of the semicolon. A semicolon belongs in each of the following sentences. Using a colon adds a bit of emphasis to the second clause. Bert was proud of his new title vice president of sales. A semicolon is a form of punctuation that sorts out complex lists or links complete clauses. Correct semicolon and colon errors in the following exercises. Then select the word that comes just before the semicolon.
I like going fishing i dont like putting worms on hooks. Often they will use both marks interchangeably or inappropriately use another punctuation mark, like a period or comma. Here are some free resources to help you learn and teach semicolons. Colons, semicolons, and dashes punctuation can be used to connect groups of words. Remember not to capitalize any words other than proper noun.
Our mission is to provide a free, worldclass education to anyone, anywhere. In addition, the colon has conventional uses to separate certain elements. Use a semicolon in the appropriate place to combine the following independent clauses. Grammar and mechanics using the colon and semicolon. Colons and semicolons worksheet teaching resources. What is the author of touched, jane straus, wrote in the first chapter. A colon is made up of two dots, one placed above the other. After reading the handout, you will be better able to decide when to use these forms of punctuation in your own writing. Single space after a period is now the accepted practice. A semicolon is a bridge that joins two independent clauses with the same basic idea or joins phrases in a series. If someone ask you to explain colon vs semicolon, what would you say.
By replacing this period with a semicolon, the sentence will be rewritten as visit me tomorrow. To connect independent clauses and avoid runon sentences b. A semicolon is used to join two sentences when they are very closely related and a conjunction becomes too wordy. It is important for students to know that the semicolon does not function in the same way as the comma. Interrupting information nonessential phrases may come at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. Semicolons and colons quiz 1 the blue book of grammar. The city of paris, ontario, is undergoing a major revival discovery communications is moving into town. You can use a semicolon to separate these two independent clauses. Today, lets look at the difference and the usage of colon vs. The colon can be used to give details of a word or phrase before it.
Up close and personal central missouri trees is a special community presentation planned for wednesday at. Choose from 500 different sets of semicolon colon english flashcards on quizlet. The quick answer when a conjunction words like and, but and or is used to merge two independent clauses into one sentence, it is possible to use a semicolon before the conjunction to outrank any commas in the clause. To explain the proper use of a semicolon to combine independent clauses and in. Multiple choice select the choice with the correct use of semicolons. A semicolon creates more separation between thoughts than a comma does but less than a period does. Punctuating with semicolons and colons the semicolon and colon look similar. Learn semicolon colon english with free interactive flashcards. Then, students will determine whether five sentences have correct or incorrect punctuation. Simply put, the colon is used to provide a pause before introducing related information, while the semicolon is just a break in a sentence that is stronger than a comma but not as final as a full stop. Many writers are confused about when to use a semicolon and when to use a colon.
This pdf document from the writing center at lewis and clark college. Description how does a writer use a semicolon, colon, or dash. Semicolons and colons quiz 1 the blue book of grammar and. However, if you think a semicolon makes your sentence clearer, you can use one. Do this by clicking on the red button next to your choice. Determine whether to use a comma, a semicolon, or no punctuation at all. Semicolons and colons quiz 2 the blue book of grammar. Semicolons and colons basic grammar and punctuation. Commas, colons, and semicolons powerpoint lesson this animated slideshow will teach students about the. In this grammar worksheet, your child learns how to write sentences using a colon, semicolon, or dash. Cliffsnotes study guides are written by real teachers and professors, so no matter what youre studying, cliffsnotes can ease your homework headaches and help you score high on exams. When not to use a semicolon use commas, not semicolons, after an independent clause it could stand alone as a full sentence joined with another independent clause by a coordinating conjunction for, and.
One common use of the colon is to introduce a list. In writing a strategy statement, i had to combine many words in one sentence. The main rule for these punctuation marks is to use them sparingly. Correctly place a semicolon or colon in the following sentences. The semicolon functions more like a period than a comma. When this happens, it is normal to use a comma before the conjunction. Information youll be assessed on includes determining the proper uses of colons and. Remember, a semicolon connects complete ideas or items in a list that have internal commas. Students will add the appropriate punctuation mark semicolon, colon, or comma to 11 blanks in a short paragraph. Georgia went back to her bed and stared at the intricate patterns of burned moth wings in the translucent glass of the overhead light.
Test your ability by identifying which sentences are correct. Semicolon, colon, and comma quiz by english 10 mother hen tpt. Semicolons and colons quiz 2 the blue book of grammar and. Commas and semicolons in the space provided, write c if the sentence is correctly punctuated, and correct other sentences with a comma or a semicolon. Circle the punctuation mark that you would use for each rule. The main function of a colon is to introduce what follows it. The use of these punctuation marks often confuses students. Quia commas, semicolons and colons millionaire game.
Well, the semicolon is the squiggle with the dot above it most of us could probably recognize a colon and a semicolon, but do we know how to use them correctly. It includes practice questions, instructional content, and a quiz to test your knowledge. Understanding the functions of the semicolon and colon will help you use them effectively. Think you know when to use a semicolon in your writing. Eating healthy helps you lose weight staying fit keeps you healthy. An independent clause can stand alone as a complete sentence. Semicolon, colon, and comma quiz by english 10 mother hen. I believe there are 3 things to achieving good grades. As a result you can sometimes test the use of the colon by replacing it with the subordinating conjunction because. Read each sentence below, and write another sentence using the same punctuation marks.
Uses of the semicolon problems with semicolons quiz. The semicolon, colon, and dash are among the punctuation marks most neglected. Other uses 149 semicolonscolons exercise 1 directions. Check the spelling of all names in the heartland directory. If no semicolon or colon needs to be added, write c for correct in the left margin. These sentences help your child explore the use of colons, semicolons, and dashes. To save a pdf copy of the report, click below and follow instructions for your browser. This refresher module explains how to use semicolons and colons. Semicolons join independent clauses and items in a series. Our semicolon worksheets are free to download and easy to access in pdf format.
A wink to the semicolon celebrating the semicolon in a most unlikely location1 by sam roberts february 18, 2008 the new york times it was nearly hidden on a new york city transit public service placard exhorting subway riders not to leave their newspaper behind when they get off the train. A worksheet for teachingrevising colons and semicolons, including definitions, sentence examples and a paragraphing exercise. Working in small groups, develop a quiz on the information in the video to be. Colons and semicolons the colon follows an independent clause a complete statement and introduces one of three things. To join independent clauses in compound sentences that do not have coordinating conjunctions and, or, but, nor, for, so, yet and commas as connectors. The tucker family will serve as grand marshals for the. A semicolon can replace the period between two related clauses or sentences. Use commas to separate items in a list if none of the items in the list require commas too. To help separate items in a list, when some of those items already contain commas. Carla often participated in school plays, but she always ended up playing minor roles. It is used to indicate that what follows after it is an explanation of what precedes it.
Even when the house looks clean, there is usually a bunch of dirt swept under the rug. Use a comma between two long independent clauses when conjunctions such as and. Select the pair of words between which the colon should be placed. Semicolons and colons provides students with the correct. Learn for free about math, art, computer programming, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance, history, and more. Choose from 500 different sets of semicolon colons flashcards on quizlet. Colon, an important punctuation mark, consists of two equalsized dots vertically placed to each other. Semicolon worksheets and activities ereading worksheets. Browse 500 sets of semicolon colon english flashcards. For each of the following, choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. You may have to remove other punctuation marks if they interfere with semicolon or colon placement.
This practice is acceptable, but it is considered outdated these days. It is more pronounced and has a pause slightly longer than a comma. In each sentence, a popup box is placed where punctuation might be needed. Use a semicolon in the appropriate place to combine the following. Online writing lab semicolons, exercise 1 dyouville. The second clause is not independent and so a semicolon cannot be used here. Semicolon, colon, and comma practice flashcards quizlet. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Unlike the semicolon, the information that follows a colon does not have to be in the form of an independent clause. Commas and colons and semicolons quiz sponsored by the center for teaching and learning at uis last edited 6302008 page 2 of 2 we finished our theme park tour at 115 pm.
Quiz answer key sponsored by the center for teaching and learning of uis tf commas clarify meaning and set sentence meter for readers. Using commas, semicolons, and colons within sentences. An alternative to using the semicolon is to combine the sentences with a joining word. Semicolons and colons quiz 1 from the blue book of grammar and punctuation. For example, we were able to find these two sentences in the chicago manual of style. The semicolon looks like a comma with a period above it, and this can be a good way to remember what it does. Now, when the sentences themselves contain commas, it is possible to outrank those commas by using a semicolon before the conjunction instead of. Here, the conjunction and has been used to merge the two sentences into one. Colons act as signposts to alert readers to important information. If you accidentally click on the wrong button, simply click on the button you meant to select. Examples on a beautiful spring day, they had a picnic. In the following fivepart exercise select true or false to indicate whether the sentence uses the appropriate comma or semicolon. Learn semicolon colons with free interactive flashcards. Going to the circus is fun however the clowns can be scary.
Colons colons, like semicolons, combine two independent clauses which are closely related, but in the case of the colon the second clause explains the first. Now proceed to the next sentence and continue in the same manner until you have finished all 10. Using semicolons before conjunctions and, or, but, etc. In writing, we use colons and semicolons to make connections and introductions.
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