Colons, semi-colons and bullets
I can use a semi-colon, a colon or a dash between main clauses, a colon before a list, and matching bullet points.
For grown-ups: this lesson in words
Year 6 · English
Colons, semi-colons and bullets: I can use a semi-colon, a colon or a dash between main clauses, a colon before a list, and matching bullet points.
The rain stopped. The children ran outside. Here are two short sentences.
"The rain stopped" makes sense on its own. It is a main clause.
"The children ran outside" is a main clause too. The two ideas are closely linked.
Picture: The sentence "The rain stopped. The children ran outside.", with "The rain stopped" marked as a main clause and "The children ran outside" marked as a main clause.
The rain stopped; the children ran outside.
A semi-colon can join two closely linked main clauses into one sentence.
The semi-colon marks the boundary where the first main clause ends and the second begins.
After a semi-colon the sentence carries on, so "the" keeps its small letter.
Picture: The sentence "The rain stopped; the children ran outside.", with "The rain stopped" marked as a main clause, "the children ran outside" marked as a main clause and the semicolon underlined.
Mei was thrilled: she had won first prize.
A colon can mark the boundary too, when the second main clause explains the first.
Why was Mei thrilled? The clause after the colon gives the reason: she had won first prize.
Picture: The sentence "Mei was thrilled: she had won first prize.", with "Mei was thrilled" marked as a main clause, "she had won first prize" marked as a main clause and the colon underlined.
Kofi opened the box — it was empty!
A dash can mark the boundary too. It feels quick and dramatic, like a pause before a surprise.
The dash marks where one main clause ends and the next one begins.
Picture: The sentence "Kofi opened the box — it was empty!", with "Kofi opened the box" marked as a main clause, "it was empty" marked as a main clause and the dash underlined.
Your turn: Which sentence uses a semi-colon correctly, with a main clause on each side?