Colons and Semicolons

Most business documents contain colons that serve one or two functions. They may introduce lists:

So we can renew your membership, please send the following:

They also open letters:

Dear Ms. Berry:
Now, look at this third common colon setup. Which is correct?
a. Some of the issues in this month’s newsletter are: membership news, upcoming events, and members’ suggestions.
b. Some of the issues in this month’s newsletter are membership news, events updates, and members’ suggestions.
Answer: b.Why: Only use a colon when the statement completely and naturally stops. If you’re really aching to throw a colon into this example, write:

This month’s newsletter includes the following: membership news, events updates, and members’ suggestions.

Which is correct?
a. Our mission statement focuses on one thing: customer satisfaction.
b. Our mission statement focuses on one thing — customer satisfaction.

Answer: Both.

Traffic Signals
Traffic Sign Punctuation Mark Meaning
Red light period stop
Blinking red light colon stop, then proceed
Blinking yellow light semicolon proceed cautiously
Yellow light comma slow down

To know when to stop and when to go with punctuation, use this comparison:

Why:They create a more interesting alternative to the flatter, more typical statement:

Our mission statement focuses exclusively on customer satisfaction.

Semi-colons are also used in two ways. They separate items in a series when any item contains a comma:

The caterer will provide cheese; red, white, and rosé wines; and cake.

You can also use semi-colons to join two short, related sentences instead of a conjunction such as “and” or “because.” This sentence suture can add variety to your sentence structure.

Which is correct?
a. We received your letter. The issues you raised are important.
b. We received your letter, the issues you raised are important.
c. We received your letter; the issues you raised are important.

Answer: a or c, but option c might be the most interesting.



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