Semicolon-versus-colon is one of the most fearsome face-offs in the grammar game. Here’s how to come out on top.

Semicolons (;) Semicolons must combine similar elements and are either used to combine complete sentences or items in a long, complicated list. Use semicolons in the following situations: Combine two ...

Colons and semicolons are punctuation marks. They help express relationships between parts of a sentence. A colon is used before describing or further explaining something previously mentioned in ...

Colons are used ONLY after a COMPLETE sentence. Ex: They serve several flavors of ice cream: vanilla, chocolate, peach, strawberry, and mocha mint. Do not use a semi-colon when the list is an ...

The semicolon-vs.-colon decision is a bit tougher to make. But even that can’t compare to the puzzle of picking the right kind of dash or hyphen to drop into a sentence.

So a recent memo I wrote was reviewed and in the flurry of red ink, this sentence was corrected by my manager (some words have been changed):quote:Jelly donut S/N 012 was cleared of excessive ...

Colon vs. Semicolon. What goes wrong: You use these interchangeably, creating confusion about what you're trying to accomplish. Mistake: "I have three pets; a dog, a cat, and a rabbit." ...