English Grammar: The colon, semicolon, and more
What are quotations marks used for ?
Quotation marks are used when someone is speaking as in a dialogue. They also refer to under titles.
What are the functions of the parenthesis ?
1. Indicate remarks by a writer : Example: The cookie (which was still warm) was delicious. 2. Specify a definition or reference : Example: Paige says, "Oh no, a tiger !" (Finch, Life and Times, pg. 38) 3. Show interruption : Example: "Furthermore (coughing), I must firmly state that..."
What are the four function of the dash ?
1. Interrupt the structure of a sentence 2. Can act like parentheses in pairs 3. Used like a colon 4. Indicate interruptions in a speech
What are the two functions of italics and underline ?
1. To emphasis 2. To indicate the presence of a title
What is the second function of the colon ?
A colon can introduce a list, items, and quotes.
What is a colon ?
A colon is a piece of punctuation that has many functions.
How do we use the semicolon with complex lists ?
A complex list can be a list with elements that already have a comma. Example: I've lived in New York, NY; San francisco, CA; and Knoxville, TN. A complex list can be a list that has more than one list in it. Example: I need to buy a textbook, a workbook, and a dictionary for Spanish; a calculator for math; and a map for geography.
What is the dash ?
A dash is a piece of punctuation that has four functions
What is a hyphen what is it used for ?
A hyphen is a piece of punctuation that is used to join two words into one, and they can also be used to clarify words.
What are Ellipses and what are its two main functions ?
Ellipses are a piece of punctuation that consists of three periods. An Ellipses has two main uses. 1. Indicate a pause in speech 2. Shows that a portion of quoted material has been taken out.
What is the first function of the colon ?
Linking: A colon can link an independent or dependent clause with another independent or dependent clause when there is a strong connection. (Rare)
What is the third function of the colon ?
The colon can be used as a separator. You can use it to separate: Titles Citations Separate the hour from the minutes.
What is the semicolon ?
The semicolon has many different uses, but the basic and the standard usage of the semicolon is to link two closely related ideas that can stand on their own as individual sentences.
What is a note on the introduction of the semicolon ?
You can use the semicolon to connect between two sentences, but they don't have to be both independent clauses; they can be separated by an adverb sentence or an introductory element.