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How to use colons, semicolons, and dashes

Colons, semicolons, and dashes are three powerful punctuation marks with a lot of misunderstanding behind them. Theyâre often used interchangeably when they shouldnât be.Â
In this post, we shed light on colons, semicolons, and dashes so you can use them correctly in your writing.
What is a colon?
A colon is a punctuation mark consisting of two dots, one placed above the other. It looks like this :
Colons are often used to introduce a list, but thatâs not all they can do! Think of a colon as a flashing sign that points to your text. Colons add emphasis and clarity to your writing.
Colons are used to separate two independent clauses when one explains the other. In addition to lists, they often introduce the start of a quotation, block quotation, or explanation. A colon can also be used to introduce an independent sentence.
Common uses of colons Â
Using a colon in a sentence before a list gives the impression that the colon means âthus,â âwhich isâ or âwhich are.â
The colon in the next example isnât used to announce a list, like the one above. This one is added for clarification.
Colons can also introduce a quotation in your writing. Hereâs an example.
Colons donât have to introduce a list or a quotation. They can also add emphasis to an independent clause. Colons can separate two independent clauses when they are directly related, or the emphasis needs to be placed on the second clause. Here are a couple of examples.
What is a semicolon?
A semicolon is a punctuation mark that looks similar to a colon, but instead of two even dots, the bottom piece looks like a comma, like this: ;
You may see a semicolon spelled as semi-colon. Either spelling is acceptable, and for this post, weâll use the semicolon spelling.
A semicolon is mainly used to join two independent clauses together that are related in thought. Essentially, it takes the place of using a conjunction such as âand.â This means that if you want to use a semicolon in a sentence, youâll have to delete the conjunction.
You can expect to see semicolons separating serial lists and used with conjunctive adverbs. How ever you use semicolons, you need to keep in mind that it is NOT interchangeable with periods or commas. You need to be thoughtful about your semicolon placements.
In the next section, weâll share examples of semicolons used correctly so you can successfully use them in your writing.
Common uses of semicolons
The most common use of semicolons is to connect related independent clauses. If you were to replace the semicolon with a conjunction (and, for, but, so), then you wouldnât need a semicolon. Be sure to delete the conjunction if thereâs one in your sentence with a semicolon. Here are a few examples that use the semicolon correctly.Â
Semicolons can also be used to break up a serial list. When a list of items is particularly long or includes internal punctuation, a semicolon helps the reader keep track of whatâs happening.
Another common use for a semicolon is using it with a conjunctive adverb to link two independent clauses. Hereâs an example of this.
What is a dash?
A dash is a straight, horizontal line that goes in between text. It shouldnât be mistaken for an underscore, which sits lower, or a hyphen, which is a shorter horizontal line. Dashes help separate groups of works. They indicate a pause or range.
There are two common types of dashes. These are the em dash (â) and the en dash (â). Hereâs a trick to help you remember which is which. Picture the em dash the same width as the letter âMâ and the en dash the same width as the letter âN.â
But the width of the two dashes isnât the only thing that separates the two. Weâll cover the differences in the two dashes with examples of each in the next section.
Common uses of dashes
Note: Adding spaces before and after an em dash is a matter of personal preference. However, if you are following AP Style or want to highlight all of the information after an em dash, you should add a space before and after.Â
Em dash (â)
Letâs start with the em dash. This little mark can rescue a clunky sentence by replacing parentheses at the end. Hereâs an example.
An em dash can also add a bit more flair and emphasis than a colon would in the same sentence.
Another case youâll run into with the em dash is when it’s used to replace censored, omitted, or unknown characters. For instance, say that your interview source needed to be kept confidential or the source material was illegible.
En dash (â)
Now that weâve covered the em dash, here are the common uses of the shorter en dash.
En dashes are typically used to show ranges of numbers or time.
En dashes can also indicate a connection between words that already have a hyphen or use a two-word phrase as a modifier.
In sum, it can be a challenge to remember which punctuation mark you should use in your writing. If you want to avoid any embarrassing punctuation mistakes, then try Writer! Start a free trial and customize colon, semicolon, and dash options in the style guide.