Can a colon join two independent clauses?

Can a colon join two independent clauses?

Like a semicolon, a colon can connect two independent clauses, but it has several other uses as well. Colons, like semicolons, should be used sparingly.

Can a dash connect two independent clauses?

Use an em dash to join independent clauses. Most commonly, a dash connects an independent clause with another, with a related thought plus a conjunction like or, but, yet, as, for, and after the second dash. The dash works somewhat like parentheses or commas, but it is used where a stronger punctuation is needed.

Can you use a colon and a dash together?

The em dash in place of a colon 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.

Why use a dash instead of a colon?

Use an em dash instead of a colon when you want to emphasize the conclusion of your sentence without giving it all of the connotations that a colon brings. A dash can add “extra” information and is more flexible in this way. It is also less formal than a colon.

Should I use colon or dash?

The difference between a colon and a dash is pretty subtle: they can both serve to introduce a related element after the sentence, but a dash is a stronger and more informal mark than a colon. Think of a colon as part of the sentence that just ambles along. A colon informs readers that something more is coming along.

How do you use a colon in grammar girl?

1) In APA style, you use a colon only after a complete introductory clause. In other words, after only something that could stand on its own as a complete sentence. 2) In APA style, you capitalize the first word after a colon if it’s the start of at least one complete sentence (or of course, if it’s a proper noun).

Do you need a complete sentence before a colon?

The hard and fast rule is that a colon must ALWAYS follow a complete sentence. A colon is used after a full sentence or independent clause to introduce something that illustrates, clarifies, or amplifies what was said in the sentence that preceded the colon.

Do I capitalize a word after a colon?

Here’s our suggestion: generally, the first word following the colon should be lower-cased if the words after the colon form a dependent clause (that is, if they could not stand on their own as a complete sentence). If the following phrase is a complete (independent) clause, you may choose to capitalize it or not.

Do you capitalize after a colon Chicago Manual of Style?

Capitalization. It’s fine to capitalize there, although Chicago style is to lowercase after a colon unless what follows consists of two or more complete sentences.

Do you put a capital after a comma?

Member. When writing a sentence that is separated by a comma, you would only capitalize the first word after the comma if it were a proper noun.

Do I capitalize after a dash?

A dash doesn’t require any extra thought regarding capitalization. You treat the first word after a dash the same way you’d treat it if it followed a comma.

Do you capitalize after three periods?

Sometimes, text is omitted from the middle of a sentence. Note that since the first dot is a period, there should be no space between the last word of the first sentence and the first dot. Some prefer to capitalize the first letter after an ellipsis if what follows is an independent clause.

Is an ellipsis always 3 dots?

An ellipsis consists of either three or four periods, or dots. A single dot is called an ellipsis point. An ellipsis can indicate the omission of words in the middle of a quoted sentence or the omission of sentences within a quoted paragraph. …

Why do you put 3 dots after a sentence?

An ellipsis (plural: ellipses) is a punctuation mark consisting of three dots. Use an ellipsis when omitting a word, phrase, line, paragraph, or more from a quoted passage. Ellipses save space or remove material that is less relevant.

What is the proper way to use ellipses?

Use ellipsis points to show omission within the quotation. Omit any punctuation on either side of the ellipsis, unless the punctuation is necessary to make the shortened quotation grammatically correct.