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Colons : and semi colons ; are punctuation marks that connect phrases in a sentence.

This technique should be familiar to you as you will have studied it at 3rd level. Use this guide to revise and check your understanding.

Colon :

Colons often introduce an explanation. The phrase that comes after the colon usually explains or expands on what came before it. It is also used before a list, quotation, answer or to provide contrast.

• 'Life is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're gonna get.' In this example from Forrest Gump, the phrase that follows the colon explains why life is like a box of chocolates.
• 'I love watching films after school: comedies are my favourite.' The phrase that follows the colon here expands on what the person loves about watching films.
• 'Tom hated his mum's cooking: soggy sprouts, smelly cabbage and lumpy mashed potatoes.' In this example, a colon is used to introduce a list of things that Tom's mum cooks that he doesn't like. Can you also spot the alliteration?

Semi colon ;

Connecting ideas

The most common way to use a semicolon is to help join closely connected ideas in a sentence. These sections must be independent and complete sentences, but closely linked in some way.

A full stop could often be used instead of a semicolon, but the effect on the reader would change. As in this famous opening line from a Charles Dickens’ novel, A Tale of Two Cities:

• ‘It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.’
• ‘It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.’

Breaking up a list

Semicolons can also be used when writing a list. In most lists, it’s enough to use commas to separate the items. However, if the list is more complicated semicolons may be needed to make the list clear for the reader:

• ‘When I pack for school, I make sure I have my calculator, compasses and ruler for maths and science lessons; drawing pencils, with coloured pastels, for art; shin pads, goalie gloves and boots for football; and my bus money.’

The semicolons are added to signal to the reader which objects are grouped together and make the overall list clearer.