Semicolons and Colons

1. Semicolons and Colons ; and :

2. SEMICOLONSUsed to join two independent clauses • Just like the comma, a semicolon can join to independent clauses. • Examples: • The Wright brothers read books about flying, and they dreamed of building a flying machine. • The Wright brothers read books about flying; they dreamed of building a flying machine.

3. More examples FAN BOYS • Their first flight lasted just 12 seconds, for the plane traveled only 120 feet. • Their first flight lasted just 12 seconds; the plane traveled only 120 feet. • The Wright brothers’ first flight lasted just 12 seconds; the plane had a 40-foot wing span. • Why is this sentence wrong? • Why can’t you use a semicolon in this sentence?

4. Using semicolons to avoid confusion • When the items in a series already contain several commas, semicolons can be used to make a sentence easier to read. Semicolons are placed at the end of all but the last complete item in the series.

5. Example • The fans, cheering loudly; the band, playing a rousing march; and the cheerleaders, turning cartwheels, helped inspire the team to play well. The fans, cheering loudly; the band, playing a rousing march; and the cheerleaders, turning cartwheels, helped inspire the team to play well. Items in the series are in red. The descriptions for those items are in blue.

6. Ex. 31 American plans to send a man into space required careful planning therefore, the process took several years. 2. Precautions were taken in case of a failure for example, an ejection seat was designed. • 1. planning; therefore, • 2. failure; for example, • 3. • 4. • 5.

7. Ex. 32 • 1. NASA has many facilities, including the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida; the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Flight Center, Houston, Texas; and the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama. Three detailed items- needs two semicolons

8. Colons Use a colon before a list of items following an independent clause.

9. Examples Sandor’s model airplane collection included many different items: a Piper Cub, a P-51 Mustang, a Heinkel Salamander, and a Spitfire.

10. Not correct use of the colon • The magazine included: an article on model planes, a column about radio controls, and a ballooning poster. • You can NOT use a colon after a verb. This is a verb.

11. Also not correct • Features in the magazine were on: model planes, radio controls, and ballooning. • You can not have a colon after a preposition. This is a preposition!

12. The correct way • Some features in the magazine were the following: an article on model planes, a column about radio controls, and a poster on ballooning.

13. Ex. 34 • 1. things: racing • 2. • 3. • 4. • 5. Hot-air balloons were used for many things racing, exploration, weather forecasting, and recreation.

14. Colons in special situation

15. Ex. 35 • Change in directions: Just write the items that require the colon. • 1. 6:30 p.m. • 2. Caution: • 3. Braun:

16. Ex. 31-32 and 34-35

17. Section Review • Ex. 37 Write the word- then the ; then the word that follows • box; as a result Ex. 38- must write out passage Ex. 39- just write the word and the colon

18. These exercises and Vocabulary packet are due Friday

19. Ex. 31, 32, 34, 35Section Review • Ex. 31 • 1. planning; therefore, • Ex. 32- write out sentences • Ex. 34- • 1. things: racing • Ex. 35 • 1. 6:30 p.m. • Ex. 37 Write the word- then the ; then the word that follows • box; as a result Ex. 38- must write out passage Ex. 39- just write the word and the colon