Do you use a colon or semicolon for a list?

Do you use a colon or semicolon for a list?

Semicolon where a colon should go Semicolons separate items within a list, while a colon precedes and introduces a list. He took three things on the hike; his lunch, his binoculars, and his trusty walking stick.

How do you use include in a sentence with a list?

The only time you would place a colon after “include” is when you are setting up a bullet list rather than a sentence, as in these examples: Your choices for the banquet menu include: roast beef with mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans. chicken quesadillas with cheesy nachos.

What punctuation do you use for a list?

There are three punctuation marks involved in making a list in a sentence: the comma, colon, and semicolon. Which you use depends on how complex your list is. If you are writing a simple list, you can just insert a comma after each item.

How do you start a list in a sentence?

In-sentence lists

1. Use a colon to introduce the list items only if a complete sentence precedes the list.
2. Use both opening and closing parentheses on the list item numbers or letters: (a) item, (b) item, etc.
3. Use either regular Arabic numbers or lowercase letters within the parentheses, but use them consistently.

Where do you use an em dash?

An em dash can also be used to mark a break in a sentence in place of a semicolon or colon. In this context, dashes are often used for emphasis or to signal a change in tone: There was no arguing with her—she was set in her opinion.

How do you list three things in a sentence?

Use commas to separate three or more items in a series. Lists of three or more words, phrases, and clauses require commas between each item.

How do you use commas in a list in a sentence?

Rule 1. Use commas to separate words and word groups in a simple series of three or more items. Example: My estate goes to my husband, son, daughter-in-law, and nephew. Note: When the last comma in a series comes before and or or (after daughter-in-law in the above example), it is known as the Oxford comma.

What is a list in writing?

A list is a record that consists of an introductory statement and a series of items written one after another. The list can be presented vertically or horizontally. In a vertical list, the items are on separate lines. In a horizontal list, the items are part of the sentence and follow the introductory statement.

Do you use a semicolon before and in a list?

Rules for Using Semicolons A semicolon is most commonly used to link (in a single sentence) two independent clauses that are closely related in thought. Use a semicolon between items in a list or series if any of the items contain commas.

How do you start a list in an essay?

Writing a list into a sentence is one way to include them with MLA essays. Use a colon to introduce the list in the sentence and then use commas or semicolons to split the list up. You can number items in the list by using parentheses without the “and” at the end.

What is a compound sentence?

A compound sentence consists of two or more independent clauses joined with a comma and coordinating conjunction, also known as the FANBOYS (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). In addition, you can join independent clauses with a semicolon or with a semicolon, conjunction adverb, and a comma.

Can an em dash replace a semicolon?

A dash (generally, an “em dash”) can replace a semicolon used to merge two independent clauses.

How do I insert an em dash in Word?

Hold down the [Alt] key and type 0151 on the numeric keypad. Choose Symbol from the Insert menu, click the Special Characters tab, highlight the em dash, and click Insert.

How do you write a list in a paragraph?

If you are including a simple, relatively short list of three to five items within a paragraph —also known as a series—the proper formatting is to: (a) precede the list with a comma, (b) label each item with a lowercase letter enclosed in parentheses, and (c) separate each item with commas or semicolons.

How is a semicolon used in a sentence?

Use a semicolon to join two related independent clauses in place of a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet). Make sure when you use the semicolon that the connection between the two independent clauses is clear without the coordinating conjunction.

How do you use an em dash in a sentence?

The em dash can be used in place of a colon when you want to emphasize the conclusion of your sentence. The dash is less formal than the colon. After months of deliberation, the jurors reached a unanimous verdict⁠—guilty. The white sand, the warm water, the sparkling sun⁠—this is what brought them to Fiji.

Is there a comma after and in a list?

You usually put a comma before and when it’s connecting two independent clauses. It’s almost always optional to put a comma before and in a list.

Can you use semicolons in a list?

It is usual to use commas to separate the items in a list. However, when the list items themselves contain commas, you can “outrank” those commas by using semicolons as the separators for your list items.

Do you use a colon before a list?

Use a colon to introduce an item or list, if the list comes after a complete sentence or independent clause. For example: There are three things every dog needs: food, water and healthcare.

What’s an em dash?

An em dash is a long dash (like this one: —) that can be used in place of parentheses, commas, semicolons, or colons. It’s name comes from the fact it’s the width of an uppercase M. (Drop that fun-fact at your next cocktail party.)

Can you use a comma instead of a colon?

A colon can introduce a list. If the list is only two items long, a comma might be used instead, but a colon is clearer and better; there is no advantage to using a comma instead. (This is the case in the examples in the question.) A colon can be used to introduce a quotation.

What are the example of sentences?

Examples of Complete Sentences

• I ate dinner.
• We had a three-course meal.
• Brad came to dinner with us.
• He loves fish tacos.
• In the end, we all felt like we ate too much.
• We all agreed; it was a magnificent evening.

What are the 14 punctuation marks?

Broadly speaking, there are 14 Punctuation Marks listed in English Grammar. They are the period (full stop), question mark, exclamation point/mark, comma, semicolon, colon, dash, hyphen, parentheses, brackets, braces, apostrophe, quotation marks, and ellipses.

Do you capitalize after an em dash?

Em dashes are longer and have no spaces before or after—like this. You can make them in word processors by typing two hyphens immediately after a word and not putting a space before the next word. So to recap: don’t capitalize after the dash, and make sure there are no spaces before or after your em dashes.