Colonial Rules for Colons and Semicolons: Slow Down and Don’t Read Too Fast[i]

Introduction—Pause a Little More 

In his 1664 The English Primrose, author Richard Hodges advised: “At a comma, stop a little; at a semicolon, somewhat more.” The semicolon and colon cause much confusion for a number of reasons: British and American writers use it differently, people often confuse it with the colon, and grammarians disagree on whether to capitalize words that follow it. Maybe we Americans use colons and semicolons differently to emphasize that we are no longer colonials?

Anyway, for some time the British have been using a colon where most Americans would use a semicolon. Many grammarians insist on a subtle difference between the two marks, however, no matter which side of the Atlantic you live on. According to this train of thought, semicolons should link independent clauses when there is a need for more separation than a comma would provide but not quite so much as a period would impose. Semicolons should introduce evidence or a reason for the preceding statement; for example, this sentence appropriately uses a semicolon.

A colon, on the other hand, should be used for a stronger, more direct relationship--to provide emphasis, an example, or an explanation. British writers would argue for the use of a colon, rather than a semi-colon, at the end of the previous paragraph. Most British writers would probably use one, but most American writers would probably choose a semicolon.

Semicolon—The Swinging Gate

Grammarian Roy Peter Clarke likens the semicolon to a swinging gate because it connects and separates at the same time; the semicolon stands between two thoughts, a barrier that forces separation but invites the reader to pass through to the other side.[ii] 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:

1.      To help separate items in a list when some of those items already contain commas.

2. To join two sentences

1. To Help Separate Items in a List. Let’s look at an example, as that is the easiest way to understand this use of the semicolon. Suppose you want to list three income statement items that you like to evaluate in credit analysis:

·       sales

·       expenses

·       profit

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

·       I like to analyze revenue, expenses, and profit.

Now suppose that the three items you analyze are described in phrases that already contain some commas:

·       Slow, uncertain sales

·       Unusual, large expenses

·       Declining profit

If you use commas to separate these items, your sentence is confusing:

·       I identified slow, uncertain sales, unusual, large expenses, and declining profits as the primary drivers of the borrower’s poor operating performance.

That middle part is confusing because 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 into semicolons so that readers can easily tell how many items are in the list and which words go together:

·       I analyzed slow, uncertain sales; unusual, large expenses; and declining profits as the primary drivers of the borrower’s poor operating performance.

2. To Join Two Sentences. An independent clause is a group of words that can stand on its own independently because 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 attended the loan committee meeting today. I presented several packages. Apple Pie Café, Grapes of Ruth Wine Store, and Paper Moon Antiques were on the agenda.

Where could semicolons be used 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 work:

·       I attended the loan committee meeting today; I presented several packages. Apple Pie Café, Grapes of Ruth Wine Store, and Paper Moon Antiques were on the agenda.

OR

·       I attended the loan committee meeting today. I presented several packages; Apple Pie Café, Grapes of Ruth Wine Store, and Paper Moon Antiques were on the agenda.

BUT NOT THIS:

·       I attended the loan committee meeting today; I presented several packages; Apple Pie Café, Grapes of Ruth Wine Store, and Paper Moon Antiques were on the agenda.

One reason to avoid too many semicolons in one sentence might have to do with style: the three short sentences look choppy and sound abrupt. A stronger reason might be if you wanted to emphasize a relationship between two of the sentences. If you connect “I presented several packages” and “Apple Pie Café, Grapes of Ruth Wine Store, and paper Moon Antiques were on the agenda” readers now understand why you attended the loan committee meeting.

Colon--Attention!

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. Therefore, common uses of colons include

1.      To announce, introduce, or direct attention to a list, a noun or noun phrase, a quotation, or an example/explanation

2.      To join sentences

3.      To express time, in titles, and as part of other writing conventions

Let’s examine each of these three uses.

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. Sometimes, categories overlap, but do not be concerned so much about whether your intended use of the colon fits one category completely. For example:

·       Lists/series example:

o  We covered many of the fundamentals in our analysis class: profitability, liquidity, leverage, solvency, management, and industry.

·       Noun/noun phrase example:

o  My instructor gave me the credit training I needed most: internal trend analysis and industry ratio comparisons.

·       Quotation example:

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

·       Example/explanation example:

o  Many bankers discover that there is no such thing as ‘banker hours:’ late night credit packages to write, high stress in customer relationships, and a consequent addiction to caffeine.

2. To join sentences. You 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. However, if you use colons this way too often, it can break up the flow of your writing. So use them sparingly:

o  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:

o  With numbers. Colons are used to separate units of time (4:45:00 expresses four hours, forty-five minutes, and zero seconds);

o  Ratios (2:1),

o  Bible verses and chapters (Matthew 2:24).

o  In bibliography entries. Many citation styles use a colon to separate information in bibliography entries.

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

o  With subtitles. Colons are used to separate titles from subtitles.

?                    Example: Everest: The Last Frontier

o  After the salutation in a formal business letter. A colon is used immediately after the greeting in a formal letter although less formal letters tend to use a comma:

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

Common colon mistakes. You should avoid these errors in using colons:

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

o  Example (incorrect): The best analyses are: those that answer the question of borrower repayment ability.

To correct this, simply remove the colon.

o  Example (correct): The best analyses are those that answer the question of borrower repayment ability.

2. Using a colon between a preposition and its object

o  Example (incorrect): My most useful analytical ratios area comprised of: the current ratio, the leverage ratio, the debt service coverage ratio, and the interest coverage ratio.

To correct this, simply remove the colon:

·       Example (correct): My most useful analytical ratios area comprised of the current ratio, the leverage ratio, the debt service coverage ratio, and the interest coverage ratio.

3. Using a colon after “such as,” “including,” “especially,” and similar phrases because it violates the rule that the material preceding the colon must be a complete thought. Consider the following sentence:

·       Example (incorrect): There are several components of credit analyses, including: proposed credit request, borrower banking relationship, company history, company management and ownership.

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

·       Example (correct): There are several components of credit analyses, including proposed credit request, borrower banking relationship, company history, company management and ownership.

To check whether you are using the colon correctly, answer this simple 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 express a complete thought? If not, you are using the colon improperly, and, of course, check above to see if you have made one of the most common mistakes.

Whether you capitalize the first letter after a colon depends on the style guide you use. 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 required that you follow one of these styles precisely, be sure to use the appropriate manual to look up the rule.

Generally, the first word following the colon is 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 decide whether to capitalize it or not, but be consistent throughout:

·       Example with an independent clause, showing two different approaches to capitalization:

o  The commercials had one message: The geeks shall inherit the earth. (correct)

o  The commercials had one message: the geeks shall inherit the earth. (correct)

·       Example with a dependent clause (which is not capitalized):

o  There are three perfect times to watch a movie: when I’m with friends, when I’m alone, and when I’m with my dog. (correct)

Summary and Closing—The End?

Kurt Konnegut offered this analogy for the semicolon: “When Hemingway killed himself, he put a period at the end of his life; old age is more like a semicolon.” On the other hand, the colon tells the reader that what follows is closely related to the preceding clause. The colon has more effect than the comma but less power to separate than the semicolon.[iii]

If you have forgotten the punctuation rules for the colon and semicolon, this piece should get you back into the grammar game. The comedian Steven Wright is right there with you: "Right now I'm having amnesia and deja vu at the same time. I've forgotten this before."

[i] Semicolons, Colons, and Dashes, https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/semi-colons-colons-and-dashes/

[ii] Roy Peter Clark, The Glamour of Grammar, Little Brown & Company: New York, 2010, pp. 74-75.

[iii] William Strunk, Jr., and E. B. White, The Elements of Style, Third Edition, McMillan Publishing Company: New York, 1979, pp. 7-8.