SAT Reading & Writing: Semicolons and Colons
40+ practice questions in Praczo
The concept, explained
- 1
Semicolon: joins two independent clauses that are closely related. Both sides must be able to stand alone as complete sentences.
- 2
Colon: introduces a list, explanation, or elaboration. The left side must be an independent clause; the right side can be a list, noun, or clause.
- 3
A colon says "here it is" or "specifically." A semicolon says "these two ideas are equally important and closely related."
- 4
Never put a semicolon where a colon is needed (before a list) or a colon where a semicolon is needed (between two independent clauses with no list/explanation).
- 5
Common trap: "The ingredients are: flour, sugar, eggs" — correct. "She brought: her bag" — wrong, the left side must be independent.
- ✗ Using a semicolon before a list: 'She bought; apples, oranges, and pears' is wrong — use a colon.
- ✗ Using a colon between two independent clauses when no elaboration or list follows — a semicolon is cleaner there.
SAT-style practice
Which punctuation correctly completes the sentence? "The experiment had one clear result _____ the new drug reduced symptoms by 40%."
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