Punctuation marks, and the ways we use them, are like traffic rules. They help us to write better and communicate better. For anyone to read and write well it is imperative that punctuation be understood in its entirety.
We have learnt that several punctuation marks play an important role in writing the English language. Full-stops (or periods) and commas are among the most widely used punctuation marks. While full-stops, exclamation marks and question marks are punctuation marks that signal the end of a sentence, commas are used in a variety of situations where a pause is warranted. Similar to commas, but significantly different from them, are semicolons and colons.
Semicolons are punctuation marks that separate elements of equal importance in a sentence unlike the comma, which can be used to separate a main clause from a subordinate clause. Semicolons are also used to separate list items when the list makes use of commas, as in this sentence:
[readmore]‘In the last few weeks I have been to Chennai, Tamil Nadu; Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh; Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh and Jodhpur, Rajasthan.’ Here the semicolon is an appropriate punctuation mark which is able to make the meaning very clear.
Similar to the semicolon, the colon is one of the punctuation marks that have their special use in writing. The colon is predominantly used to support the idea before the colon and explain the elements further. What follows after the colon could be a detailed description of the element that preceded it. The colon helps to separate the hypothesis from its proof. The colon finds widespread usage in very formal situations that include hours and minutes, subtitles of books and formal letters.
The semi colon and the colon are important elements of the English language that improve its overall presentation and, more importantly, make the meaning of what is being communicated very clear. Take the quiz that follows to understand the usage of semicolons and colons.
1.
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Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
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Some of my friends play with a Wilson racquet; others play with a Head or a Yonex. |
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Some of my friends play with a Wilson racquet. Others play with a Head or a Yonex. |
[ ] |
Some of my friends play with a Wilson racquet, others play with a Head or a Yonex. |
[ ] |
Some of my friends play with a Wilson racquet: others play with a Head or a Yonex. |
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2.
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Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
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Leander Paes has played in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru, Karnataka, Kolkata, West Bengal, Mumbai, Maharahtra. |
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Leander Paes has played in Chennai; Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru; Karnataka, Kolkata; West Bengal, and Mumbai; Maharahtra. |
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Leander Paes has played in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru, Karnataka, Kolkata, West Bengal, and Mumbai, Maharahtra. |
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Leander Paes has played in Chennai, Tamil Nadu; Bengaluru, Karnataka; Kolkata, West Bengal; and Mumbai, Maharahtra. |
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3.
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Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
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The invoice was raised two months earlier; therefore I expected the payment to be made by now. |
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The invoice was raised two months earlier; therefore, I expected the payment to be made by now. |
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The invoice was raised two months earlier, therefore, I expected the payment to be made by now. |
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The invoice was raised two months earlier therefore, I expected the payment to be made by now. |
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4.
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Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
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We plead, therefore; that you reveal this information to no one. |
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We plead, therefore that you reveal this information to no one. |
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We plead, therefore, that you reveal this information to no one. |
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We plead therefore, that you reveal this information to no one. |
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5.
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"Complete your assignment; it is absolutely essential that you complete it." - Which statement about the sentence is correct? |
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[ ] |
The punctuation is wrong; it should have only comma. |
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The punctuation is wrong; it should have no punctuation mark. |
[ ] |
The punctuation is wrong; there should be an exclamation mark. |
[ ] |
The punctuation is correct. |
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6.
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Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
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[ ] |
Trupti packed her father's car with all the things required for the camping trip: foldable tents, pegs, torch, ropes and books. |
[ ] |
Trupti packed her father's car with all the things required for the camping trip; foldable tents, pegs, torch, ropes and books. |
[ ] |
Trupti packed her father's car with all the things required for the camping trip, foldable tents, pegs, torch, ropes and books. |
[ ] |
Trupti packed her father's car with all the things required for the camping trip: foldable tents, pegs; torch, ropes: books. |
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7.
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Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
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[ ] |
Being new to the game of cricket I had to learn a new term 'googly' since the commentators use the word: a bowled ball that swerves in one direction and breaks in the other. |
[ ] |
Being new to the game of cricket, I had to learn a new term 'googly' since the commentators use the word: a bowled ball that swerves in one direction and breaks in the other. |
[ ] |
Being new to the game of cricket, I had to learn a new term 'googly' since the commentators use the word; a bowled ball that swerves in one direction and breaks in the other. |
[ ] |
Being new to the game of cricket I had to learn a new term 'googly' since the commentators use the word; a bowled ball that swerves in one direction and breaks in the other. |
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8.
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Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
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[ ] |
M S Dhoni is so reckless that he'll give the ball to anyone, even Ajinkya Rahane; he is not a bowler, not even in his dreams. |
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M S Dhoni is so reckless that he'll give the ball to anyone, even Ajinkya Rahane: he is not a bowler not even in his dreams. |
[ ] |
M S Dhoni is so reckless that he'll give the ball to anyone, even Ajinkya Rahane: he is not a bowler, not even in his dreams. |
[ ] |
M S Dhoni is so reckless that he'll give the ball to anyone even Ajinkya Rahane: he is not a bowler, not even in his dreams. |
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9.
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"This week at the office was pretty stormy: I had a series of unpleasant meetings and I spent the whole week sorting out issues." - Is the sentence correctly punctuated? |
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[ ] |
No! The sentence is not correctly punctuated. There should be a semicolon instead of the colon. |
[ ] |
No! The sentence is not correctly punctuated. There should be a comma instead of the colon. |
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No! The sentence is not correctly punctuated. There should be a full stop instead of the colon. |
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Yes! The sentence is correctly punctuated. |
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10.
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Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
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[ ] |
There are primarily two ways to play a back hand shot in tennis: with a double handed stroke, which is using both hands; or a single handed stroke, which is the stroke perfected by Roger Federer. |
[ ] |
There are primarily two ways to play a back hand shot in tennis: with a double handed stroke, which is using both hands: or a single handed stroke, which is the stroke perfected by Roger Federer. |
[ ] |
There are primarily two ways to play a back hand shot in tennis; with a double handed stroke, which is using both hands; or a single handed stroke, which is the stroke perfected by Roger Federer. |
[ ] |
There are primarily two ways to play a back hand shot in tennis: with a double handed stroke, which is using both hands; or a single handed stroke; which is the stroke perfected by Roger Federer. |
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1.
|
Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
|
[x] |
Some of my friends play with a Wilson racquet; others play with a Head or a Yonex. |
[ ] |
Some of my friends play with a Wilson racquet. Others play with a Head or a Yonex. |
[ ] |
Some of my friends play with a Wilson racquet, others play with a Head or a Yonex. |
[ ] |
Some of my friends play with a Wilson racquet: others play with a Head or a Yonex. |
|
|
2.
|
Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
|
[ ] |
Leander Paes has played in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru, Karnataka, Kolkata, West Bengal, Mumbai, Maharahtra. |
[ ] |
Leander Paes has played in Chennai; Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru; Karnataka, Kolkata; West Bengal, and Mumbai; Maharahtra. |
[ ] |
Leander Paes has played in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Bengaluru, Karnataka, Kolkata, West Bengal, and Mumbai, Maharahtra. |
[x] |
Leander Paes has played in Chennai, Tamil Nadu; Bengaluru, Karnataka; Kolkata, West Bengal; and Mumbai, Maharahtra. |
|
|
3.
|
Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
|
[ ] |
The invoice was raised two months earlier; therefore I expected the payment to be made by now. |
[x] |
The invoice was raised two months earlier; therefore, I expected the payment to be made by now. |
[ ] |
The invoice was raised two months earlier, therefore, I expected the payment to be made by now. |
[ ] |
The invoice was raised two months earlier therefore, I expected the payment to be made by now. |
|
|
4.
|
Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
|
[ ] |
We plead, therefore; that you reveal this information to no one. |
[ ] |
We plead, therefore that you reveal this information to no one. |
[x] |
We plead, therefore, that you reveal this information to no one. |
[ ] |
We plead therefore, that you reveal this information to no one. |
|
|
5.
|
"Complete your assignment; it is absolutely essential that you complete it." - Which statement about the sentence is correct? |
|
[ ] |
The punctuation is wrong; it should have only comma. |
[ ] |
The punctuation is wrong; it should have no punctuation mark. |
[ ] |
The punctuation is wrong; there should be an exclamation mark. |
[x] |
The punctuation is correct. |
|
|
6.
|
Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
|
[x] |
Trupti packed her father's car with all the things required for the camping trip: foldable tents, pegs, torch, ropes and books. |
[ ] |
Trupti packed her father's car with all the things required for the camping trip; foldable tents, pegs, torch, ropes and books. |
[ ] |
Trupti packed her father's car with all the things required for the camping trip, foldable tents, pegs, torch, ropes and books. |
[ ] |
Trupti packed her father's car with all the things required for the camping trip: foldable tents, pegs; torch, ropes: books. |
|
|
7.
|
Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
|
[ ] |
Being new to the game of cricket I had to learn a new term 'googly' since the commentators use the word: a bowled ball that swerves in one direction and breaks in the other. |
[x] |
Being new to the game of cricket, I had to learn a new term 'googly' since the commentators use the word: a bowled ball that swerves in one direction and breaks in the other. |
[ ] |
Being new to the game of cricket, I had to learn a new term 'googly' since the commentators use the word; a bowled ball that swerves in one direction and breaks in the other. |
[ ] |
Being new to the game of cricket I had to learn a new term 'googly' since the commentators use the word; a bowled ball that swerves in one direction and breaks in the other. |
|
|
8.
|
Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
|
[ ] |
M S Dhoni is so reckless that he'll give the ball to anyone, even Ajinkya Rahane; he is not a bowler, not even in his dreams. |
[ ] |
M S Dhoni is so reckless that he'll give the ball to anyone, even Ajinkya Rahane: he is not a bowler not even in his dreams. |
[x] |
M S Dhoni is so reckless that he'll give the ball to anyone, even Ajinkya Rahane: he is not a bowler, not even in his dreams. |
[ ] |
M S Dhoni is so reckless that he'll give the ball to anyone even Ajinkya Rahane: he is not a bowler, not even in his dreams. |
|
|
9.
|
"This week at the office was pretty stormy: I had a series of unpleasant meetings and I spent the whole week sorting out issues." - Is the sentence correctly punctuated? |
|
[ ] |
No! The sentence is not correctly punctuated. There should be a semicolon instead of the colon. |
[ ] |
No! The sentence is not correctly punctuated. There should be a comma instead of the colon. |
[ ] |
No! The sentence is not correctly punctuated. There should be a full stop instead of the colon. |
[x] |
Yes! The sentence is correctly punctuated. |
|
|
10.
|
Choose the sentence with the correct punctuation. |
|
[x] |
There are primarily two ways to play a back hand shot in tennis: with a double handed stroke, which is using both hands; or a single handed stroke, which is the stroke perfected by Roger Federer. |
[ ] |
There are primarily two ways to play a back hand shot in tennis: with a double handed stroke, which is using both hands: or a single handed stroke, which is the stroke perfected by Roger Federer. |
[ ] |
There are primarily two ways to play a back hand shot in tennis; with a double handed stroke, which is using both hands; or a single handed stroke, which is the stroke perfected by Roger Federer. |
[ ] |
There are primarily two ways to play a back hand shot in tennis: with a double handed stroke, which is using both hands; or a single handed stroke; which is the stroke perfected by Roger Federer. |
|
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