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Semicolons and colons were originally used to designate pauses shorter than a period and longer than a comma. Now they are used to show certain grammatical relationships with the colon the more emphatic of the two.
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The most common punctuation marks in English are probably the period and the comma. However, good writing in English will usually make use of the colon and the semi-colon. Although these look similar and have similar names, ... You will need to bring three things to the party: ... This sentence contains a list of three items.
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More formal than a comma or a dash, it acts as an "equals" sign: an indication that what follows it is equivalent to what precedes it. In the examples below, the underlined phrases are equivalent to what follows the colons. ... Semicolons can also separate parallel phrases which contain commas. The following sentence would...
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Semicolon and Colo ... LEO: Literacy Education Online ... Uses of the Semicolon...
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Privacy Policy - Advertise with Us - Return to Top ... Your #1 Source for Grammar and Punctuation; © 2009 GrammarBook.co ... Semicolons and Colons Quiz...
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No intestinal jokes here, please. We're talking about three much-abused marks of punctuation. ... These three punctuation marks--semicolons, colons, and dashes--are most effective when used sparingly. Some writers, such as novelist Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., would prefer to do away with the semicolon altogether:
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; Semicolons can be very confusing, and many writers avoid them altogether. But used correctly, semicolons can add style and grace to your writing. ... ; Colons have very specific uses. Like semicolons, colons can brighten your writing if used correctly.
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Using Semicolons and Colons Definition; What's the difference between a semicolon and a colon? When and why are they used? ... If you have trouble remembering the difference between semicolons and colons, you're not alone. These punctuation marks are just tools that you use to help the reader understand your sentence...
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Avoid overusing semicolons. Combining independent clauses with a semicolon gives the sentence a crisper rhythm--a sort of abruptness that contrasts with the smoother combination with a comma conjunction. Good writers save that rhythm for sentences when it will be most effective.
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Semicolons are needed in the following instances: ... Be careful with colons--you have undoubtedly seen them misused numerous times. A lot of writers, including professionals who know better, use them whenever they introduce a sentence elements.
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