Colons and Semi-colons

Colons and Semi-colons

Pencil and paper
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Further Resources
This task is about knowing when to use colons and semi colons.
a)
Read each sentence and decide if it should have a colon. If it does, add the colon in the correct place.
 
i) In the box I found some real treasures three pencils, two rings, and a moa egg.
 
ii) After a tramp he wanted only one thing a hot shower!
 
iii) I like all kinds of food, especially hamburgers, milk shakes, and pies.
 
iv) HELP NEEDED baby sitter.
 
b)

 
Each of the following punctuation marks has a certain strength according to the pause it represents.
Which list shows the punctuation marks arranged in order from the weakest pause to the strongest pause? (Circle one)
 
(A)   Colon / semi-colon / comma / full stop
(B)   Comma / colon / semi-colon / full stop
(C)   Semi-colon / full stop / comma / colon
(D)   Comma / semi-colon / colon / full stop
 
c)
 
For each of the situations described below, indicate whether it is better to use a colon or a semi-colon by circling the correct term.
 
i)
 
ii)
 
iii)
 
iv)
To join two closely linked sentences.
 
Before a list.
 
To break up lists.
 
To introduce an explanation or summary of the first part of a sentence.
colon or semi-colon
 
colon or semi-colon
 
colon or semi-colon
 
colon or semi-colon

 

Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper.
Level:
5
Curriculum info: 
English, Creating meaning, Writing
Key Competencies: 
Using language, symbols, and texts
Keywords: 
punctuation, colons
Description of task: 
This punctuation resource has a focus on colons and semi-colons. Students insert colons into sentences and demonstrate their knowledge of differences between colons and semi-colons.
Curriculum Links: 
This resource can be used to help to identify students’ ability to create texts to meet the writing demands of the New Zealand Curriculum.
 

Links to the Literacy Learning Progressions for Writing:
This resource helps to identify students’ ability to:
  • use punctuation correctly, including complex punctuation
as described in the Literacy Learning Progressions for Writing at: http://www.literacyprogressions.tki.org.nz/The-Structure-of-the-Progressions.
Learning Progression Frameworks
This resource can provide evidence of learning associated with
Writing meaningful text: encoding, set 7
within the Writing Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Read more about the Learning Progressions Frameworks.
Answers/responses: 
   

Y10 (11/2001)

a)

i)
ii)
iii)
iv)

treasures :
thing :
No colon
NEEDED :

4 correct – very difficult

3 correct – moderate

b)

  

D

easy

c)

i)
ii)
iii)
iv)

semi-colon
colon
semi-colon
colon

4 correct – difficult

3 correct – moderate