Difference Between Colon & Semicolon
·
Semicolon is a mark of punctuation ( ; ) used to connect
independent clauses and show a closer relationship than a period does. It acts as a linking punctuation between two
complete sentences which are not connected by a conjunction.
Example:
1.
I'm going to the stationary shop; I need to
buy a sketch book.
2.
"There
are the children who make those delightful, hilarious, sometimes astonishingly
grave overtures of friendship in the unpredictable fashion of children; other
children, having been taught that the devil is a black man, scream in genuine
anguish as I approach. Some of the older women never pass without a friendly
greeting, never pass, indeed, if it seems that they will be able to engage me
in conversation; other women look down or look away or rather contemptuously
smirk."
(James
Baldwin, Stranger in the Village.
Notes of a Native Son. Beacon Press, 1955)
·
Colon
is
an important punctuation. It introduces the reader to sentences. The presence
of a colon hints towards something important being stated. After reading the
sentence before the colon, the reader anticipates some amount of useful
information. A mark of punctuation ( : ) used after a statement (usually an
independent clause) that introduces a quotation, an explanation, an example, or
a series.
Example:
1.
Writing is much more than mere arranging of
words: it is an expression of the deeper voice within us.
2. "A liberal arts education creates
citizens: people who can think broadly and critically about themselves and the
world."
(William
Deresiewicz, "Faulty Towers." The Nation, May 23, 2011)