Semicolon and Colon

In which sentence is a colon used correctly?

• Have you ever seen a: horse in the wild?

• It hardly ever snows: in California, but it’s a beautiful place to live.

• Devon admires his uncle for two reasons: he’s great at rollerblading and building treehouses.

In which sentence is a colon used correctly?

• You may recognize the common name of the plant Toxicodendron radicans: poison ivy.

• Talisah’s rash from the poison: ivy looked very uncomfortable.

In which sentence is a semicolon used correctly?

• The zoo is home to bearded dragons; geckos; and caiman lizards.

• The zoo has a large collection of red-headed agama lizards; it recently got two caiman lizards, too.

• Many people love going to see lizards at the zoo; but it’s not my cup of tea.

In the following sentence, where should a colon be added?

I asked you to do one thing to bake a seven-layer wedding cake with buttercream frosting.

• after “you”

• after “thing”

• after “cake”

In the following sentence, where should a semicolon ( ; ) be added?

Animals are consumers they do not make their own food.

• after “animals”

• after “consumers”

• after “own”

At the peace conference, the British received Canada from France __ they also received Florida from Spain.

• ;

• :

Correctly punctuate the sentence below with a colon (A) or a semicolon (B).

Maps have many features __ scales, legends, and symbols.

• :

• ;

Correctly punctuate the sentence below with a colon (A) or a semicolon (B).

The author’s word choice makes the tone clear __ bitingly sarcastic.

• :

• ;

Which sentences from the passage would best be linked with a semicolon ( ; ) ?

In Norway, the official language is Norwegian. There are two written forms of the language. Typical Norwegian food includes smoked fish, a yellow cheese called Jarlsberg and a soft flatbread called lefse. The government of Norway is a constitutional monarchy. This means that the country has both a king and a group called a parliament that makes the laws.

• There are two written forms of the language. Typical Norwegian food includes smoked fish, a yellow cheese called Jarlsberg and a soft flatbread called lefse.

• The government of Norway is a constitutional monarchy. This means that the country has both a king and a group called a parliament that makes the laws.

Which sentences from the passage would best be linked with a semicolon ( ; ) ?

Nervously, Della stared at the bright red door. She hadn’t turned this doorknob in many years. The wind tickled her closely-shaven head. She no longer had long brown locks to dance in the breeze.

• Nervously, Della stared at the bright red door. She hadn’t turned this doorknob in many years.

• She hadn’t turned this doorknob in many years. The wind tickled her closely-shaven head.