When to example sentence?

This handout explains the most common uses of three kinds of punctuation: semicolons (;), colons (:), and dashes (—). After reading the handout, you will be better able to decide when to use these forms of punctuation in your own writing.

The semicolon looks like a comma with a period above it, and this can be a good way to remember what it does. A semicolon creates more separation between thoughts than a comma does but less than a period does. Here are the two most common uses of the semicolon:

Let’s look at an example, as that is the easiest way to understand this use of the semicolon. Suppose I want to list three items that I bought at the grocery store:

apples grapes pears

In a sentence, I would separate these items with commas:

I bought apples, grapes, and pears.

Now suppose that the three items I want to list are described in phrases that already contain some commas:

shiny, ripe apples small, sweet, juicy grapes firm pears

If I use commas to separate these items, my sentence looks like this:

I bought shiny, ripe apples, small, sweet, juicy grapes, and firm pears.

That middle part is a bit confusing—it doesn’t give the reader many visual cues about how many items are in the list, or about which words should be grouped together. Here is where the semicolon can help. The commas between items can be “bumped up” a notch and turned into semicolons, so that readers can easily tell how many items are in the list and which words go together:

I bought shiny, ripe apples; small, sweet, juicy grapes; and firm pears.

An independent clause is a group of words that can stand on its own (independently)—it is a complete sentence. Semicolons can be used between two independent clauses. The semicolon keeps the clauses somewhat separate, like a period would do, so we can easily tell which ideas belong to which clause. But it also suggests that there may be a close relationship between the two clauses—closer than you would expect if there were a period between them. Let’s look at a few examples. Here are a few fine independent clauses, standing on their own as complete sentences:

I went to the grocery store today. I bought a ton of fruit. Apples, grapes, and pears were on sale.

Now—where could semicolons fit in here? They could be used to join two (but not all three) of the independent clauses together. So either of these pairs of sentences would be okay:

I went to the grocery store today; I bought a ton of fruit. Apples, grapes, and pears were all on sale.

OR

I went to the grocery store today. I bought a ton of fruit; apples, grapes, and pears were all on sale.

I could NOT do this:

I went to the grocery store today; I bought a ton of fruit; apples, grapes, and pears were all on sale.

But why would I want to use a semicolon here, anyway? One reason might have to do with style: the three short sentences sound kind of choppy or abrupt. A stronger reason might be if I wanted to emphasize a relationship between two of the sentences. If I connect “I bought a ton of fruit” and “Apples, grapes, and pears were all on sale” more closely, readers may realize that the reason why I bought so much fruit is that there was a great sale on it.

Colons follow independent clauses (clauses that could stand alone as sentences) and can be used to present an explanation, draw attention to something, or join ideas together.

1. To announce, introduce, or direct attention to a list, a noun or noun phrase, a quotation, or an example/explanation. You can use a colon to draw attention to many things in your writing. The categories listed below often overlap, so don’t worry too much about whether your intended use of the colon fits one category perfectly.

Lists/series example:

We covered many of the fundamentals in our writing class: grammar, punctuation, style, and voice.

Noun/noun phrase example:

My roommate gave me the things I needed most: companionship and quiet.

Quotation example:

Shakespeare said it best: “To thine own self be true.”

Example/explanation example:

Many graduate students discover that there is a dark side to academia: late nights, high stress, and a crippling addiction to caffeinated beverages.

2. To join sentences. You can use a colon to connect two sentences when the second sentence summarizes, sharpens, or explains the first. Both sentences should be complete, and their content should be very closely related. Note that if you use colons this way too often, it can break up the flow of your writing. So don’t get carried away with your colons!

Example: Life is like a puzzle: half the fun is in trying to work it out.

3. To express time, in titles, and as part of other writing conventions. Colons appear in several standard or conventional places in writing. Here are a few examples:

Example: Kurlansky, M. (2002). Salt: A world history. New York, NY: Walker and Co.

Example: Everest: The Last Frontier

Example: To Whom It May Concern: Please accept my application for the position advertised in the News and Observer.

1. Using a colon between a verb and its object or complement

Example (incorrect):The very best peaches are: those that are grown in the great state of Georgia.

To correct this, simply remove the colon.

2. Using a colon between a preposition and its object

Example (incorrect): My favorite cake is made of: carrots, flour, butter, eggs, and cream cheese icing.

To correct this, simply remove the colon.

3. Using a colon after “such as,” “including,” “especially,” and similar phrases. This violates the rule that the material preceding the colon must be a complete thought. Look, for example, at the following sentence:

Example (incorrect): There are many different types of paper, including: college ruled, wide ruled, and plain copy paper.

You can see that “There are many different types of paper, including” is not a complete sentence. The colon should simply be removed.

Ask yourself a question: does the material preceding the colon stand on its own? One way to tell if the colon has been properly used is to look only at the words that come in front of the colon. Do they make a complete thought? If not, you may be using the colon improperly. Check above to see if you have made one of the most common mistakes.

Different citation styles (such as MLA, APA, Chicago, and AMA) have slightly different rules regarding whether to capitalize the first letter after a colon. If it is important that you follow one of these styles precisely, be sure to use the appropriate manual to look up the rule.

Here’s our suggestion: generally, the first word following the colon should be lower-cased if the words after the colon form a dependent clause (that is, if they could not stand on their own as a complete sentence). If the following phrase is a complete (independent) clause, you may choose to capitalize it or not. Whichever approach you choose, be sure to be consistent throughout your paper.

Example with an independent clause, showing two different approaches to capitalization: The commercials had one message: The geeks shall inherit the earth. (correct) The commercials had one message: the geeks shall inherit the earth. (correct)

Example with a dependent clause (which is not capitalized): There are three perfect times to smile: when I’m with friends, when I’m alone, and when I’m with my dog. (correct)

The first thing to know when talking about dashes is that they are almost never required by the laws of grammar and punctuation. Overusing dashes can break up the flow of your writing, making it choppy or even difficult to follow, so don’t overdo it.

It’s also important to distinguish between dashes and hyphens. Hyphens are shorter lines (-); they are most often used to show connections between words that are working as a unit (for example, you might see adjectives like “well-intentioned”) or to spell certain words (like “e-mail”).

With that background information in mind, let’s take a look at some ways to put dashes to work in your writing.

1. To set off material for emphasis. Think of dashes as the opposite of parentheses. Where parentheses indicate that the reader should put less emphasis on the enclosed material, dashes indicate that the reader should pay more attention to the material between the dashes. Dashes add drama—parentheses whisper. Dashes can be used for emphasis in several ways: A single dash can emphasize material at the beginning or end of a sentence.

Example: After eighty years of dreaming, the elderly man realized it was time to finally revisit the land of his youth—Ireland.

Example: “The Office”—a harmless television program or a dangerously subversive guide to delinquency in the workplace?

Two dashes can emphasize material in the middle of a sentence. Some style and grammar guides even permit you to write a complete sentence within the dashes.

Example: Everything I saw in my new neighborhood—from the graceful elm trees to the stately brick buildings—reminded me of my alma mater.

Example (complete sentence): The students—they were each over the age of eighteen—lined up in the streets to vote for the presidential candidates.

Two dashes can emphasize a modifier. Words or phrases that describe a noun can be set off with dashes if you wish to emphasize them.

Example: The fairgrounds—cold and wet in the October rain—were deserted.

Example: Nettie—her chin held high—walked out into the storm.

2. To indicate sentence introductions or conclusions. You can sometimes use a dash to help readers see that certain words are meant as an introduction or conclusion to your sentence.

Example: Books, paper, pencils—many students lacked even the simplest tools for learning in nineteenth-century America.

Example: To improve their health, Americans should critically examine the foods that they eat—fast food, fatty fried foods, junk food, and sugary snacks.

3. To mark “bonus phrases.” Phrases that add information or clarify but are not necessary to the meaning of a sentence are ordinarily set off with commas. But when the phrase itself already contains one or more commas, dashes can help readers understand the sentence.

Slightly confusing example with commas: Even the simplest tasks, washing, dressing, and going to work, were nearly impossible after I broke my leg.

Better example with dashes: Even the simplest tasks—washing, dressing, and going to work—were nearly impossible after I broke my leg.

4. To break up dialogue. In written dialogue, if a speaker suddenly or abruptly stops speaking, hesitates in speech, or is cut off by another speaker, a dash can indicate the pause or interruption.

Example: “I—I don’t know what you’re talking about,” denied the politician.

Example: Mimi began to explain herself, saying, “I was thinking—” “I don’t care what you were thinking,” Rodolpho interrupted.

It was a time when people didn't have to lock their doors. the happy days when we were together We're still waiting for the test results, when we'll decide our next move. Conjunction When he finally showed up, he was drunk. When I was in school, we didn't have computers.

• Mary enjoys cooking.
• She likes bananas.
• They speak English at work.
• The train does not leave at 12 AM.
• I have no money at the moment.
• Do they talk a lot ?
• Does she drink coffee?
• You run to the party.

I'll call them tomorrow when I come back.

When I grow up, I want to be a king.

When I woke up, I was sad.

I hate it when there are a lot of people.

I don't like it when mathematicians who know much more than I do can't express themselves explicitly.

It is inevitable that I go to France someday, I just don't know when.

"When will you be back?" "It all depends on the weather."

When you're beginning to look like the photo in your passport, you should go on a holiday.

When I left the train station, I saw a man.

It's a pity when somebody dies.

You opened up my eyes to what it's like when everything is right.

If you don't want to put on sunscreen, that's your problem. Just don't come complaining to me when you get a sunburn.

I hate those spiders. They're always there to freak me out when I'm cleaning.

Look at me when I talk to you!

When do we arrive?

When the body is touched, receptors in the skin send messages to the brain causing the release of chemicals such as endorphins.

When you're trying to prove something, it helps to know it's true.

Why does one say "Good day" when the day is not good?

When I ask people what they regret most about high school, they nearly all say the same thing: that they wasted so much time.

When you can't do what you want, you do what you can.

Close the door when you leave.

When you send a telegram, brevity is essential because you will be charged for every word.

The orchestra makes discordant noises when tuning up.

When I have migraines, aspirin doesn't alleviate the pain for me.

Jason was a taciturn individual, so it was always a real surprise when he said anything.

His essay gave only a superficial analysis of the problem, so it was a real surprise to him when he got the highest grade in the class.

My roommate is prodigal when it comes to spending money on movies; he buys them the day they're released, regardless of price.

When both girls told John they had feelings for him, he was in a quandary as to which girl he should be with.

Bill Clinton spoke in ambiguous language when asked to describe his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.

What criterion did you use when you elected this essay as the winner?

When we are small, everything seems so big.

Life begins when we realize who we really are.

Life starts when you decide what you are expecting from it.

Life begins when you pay taxes.

Life begins when you're ready to live it.

When are we eating? I'm hungry!

It's very frustrating to try to find your glasses when you can't see anything without glasses.

When I was your age, Pluto was a planet.

When we borrow money, we must agree on the conditions.

The seven questions that an engineer has to ask himself are: who, what, when, where, why, how and how much.

When can one say that a person has alcohol issues?

I was about to go out when the phone rang.

It was raining when we left, but by the time we arrived, it was sunny.

When I was a child, I would spend hours reading alone in my room.

Please will you close the door when you go out.

When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.

I couldn't say when exactly in my life it occurred to me that I would be a pilot someday.

When did you see her dancing with him?

You could count to ten when you were two.

You could count to ten when you were two years old.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

You cannot be too careful when driving.

When did you finish it?

When did you come to Japan?

When will you leave here?

When will you be free?

When did you begin studying English?

When did you begin learning German?

The day is sure to come when your dream will come true.

The day will surely come when your dream will come true.

The time will come when your dream will come true.

When did your sister leave Tokyo for London?

Come and see me when it is convenient for you.

When is your birthday?

There's no room for excuses when it comes to your negligence, is there?

When will your assignment be completed?

When your business gets rolling we'll talk about an increase.

When talking about your last results, it is dependent on the last examination.

Your mother must have been beautiful when she was young.

When you put it so strongly, I can't say I don't agree.

When will you complete the preparations?

I will have left when you return.

We were just talking about you when you called.

You had better not wake me up when you come in.

Tell me when you will call me.

When you speak of a pay-raise before recognition, I am inclined to think you are putting the cart before the horse.

A time will come when you will regret your action.

I'll look after your affairs when you are dead.

He will be studying when you get up.

I'll come again when you are free.

I was about to leave when you telephoned.

The day will come when you will realize it.

The time will come when you'll regret it.

When was it that you visited the museum?

The time will come when you will be sorry for it.

You gave me a real surprise when you showed up there.

The time will come when you will understand this.

We shall all miss you when you go away.

When bears sleep or lie down, their postures depend on whether they want to get rid of heat or conserve it.

Shoes are stiff when they are new.

There is no sense in standing when there are seats available.

They shook hands when they met at the airport.

As for the air, there is always some moisture in the atmosphere, but when the amount increases a great deal, it affects the light waves.

When you put money in the bank, you deposit it.

How do you expect to weather the financial storm when the bank refuses to extend a helping hand?

Do you have any idea when the bank closes?

Friday is the day when she is very busy.

Friday is when I am least busy.

When Friday comes around, it's time for me to let my hair down and enjoy the weekend.