Colons, semicolons, dashes and brackets

Parenthesis: brackets, dashes and commas

Parenthesis is extra information dropped into a sentence. It can be marked with a pair of brackets, a pair of dashes or a pair of commas, and in each case the sentence must still make sense if the parenthesis is removed.

• The castle (built in 1270) is open to visitors.Brackets.
• The castle – built in 1270 – is open to visitors.A pair of dashes.
• The castle, built in 1270, is open to visitors.A pair of commas.

The single most important word here is pair. Children often open the parenthesis and forget to close it. Covering the words between the marks is a reliable check: what's left should be a complete, correct sentence.

Colons

A colon introduces something that follows on from what comes before it: a list, an explanation or an example. The part before the colon should be a complete clause.

• We needed three things: flour, eggs and milk.Introduces a list.
• She had one goal: to win.Introduces an explanation.
• The ingredients include: flour, eggs and milk.The clause before the colon isn't complete, so no colon is needed.

Semicolons

A semicolon has two jobs. The first is to join two closely related main clauses, each of which could stand as a sentence on its own:

• It was getting late; we decided to leave.Both sides are complete sentences.
• Because it was late; we left.The first part can't stand alone, so a comma is needed instead.

The second job is to separate items in a list when the items are long or already contain commas:

• The tour visited Paris, France; Rome, Italy; and Madrid, Spain.

For the first job, the test is simple: cover one side and check the other is a full sentence, then swap. If both pass and the ideas are closely linked, a semicolon works.

Single dashes

A single dash adds a pause before something important, surprising or explanatory at the end of a sentence, or links two related clauses in a less formal way than a semicolon.

• There was only one thing to do – run.
• We'd planned everything – or so we thought.

Hyphens

A hyphen is shorter than a dash and joins words or parts of words. It is used in compound adjectives before a noun (a well-known author), with some prefixes (co-ordinate, re-enter), and to avoid ambiguity.

• a man-eating sharkA shark that eats people.
• a man eating sharkA man who is eating shark.

The ambiguity examples are the best way into hyphens, because they show exactly why the mark matters. They are also the most common SATs question type for this topic.

Ellipsis

An ellipsis (three dots) shows a pause, a sentence trailing off, or words left out of a quotation: I thought I heard something… In stories it builds suspense. It should be used deliberately and sparingly, and it is always exactly three dots.

Bullet points

Bullet points present a list clearly, usually after a colon. The SATs care about consistency: if each point is a short phrase, it typically starts with a lower case letter and has no full stop; if each point is a full sentence, each starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop. Every point should also follow grammatically from the introduction.

How these are tested in the SATs

• Insert the punctuation: brackets, dashes, a colon or a semicolon in the correct place.
• Explain why a piece of punctuation is used, such as the dashes in a sentence.
• Tick the sentence that uses a colon or semicolon correctly.
• Add a hyphen to make the meaning clear.
• Punctuate bullet points consistently.

Common mistakes

• Opening parenthesis without closing it.
• Using a semicolon where one side isn't a complete clause.
• Putting a colon after including or such as.
• Confusing hyphens with dashes, or adding hyphens to every compound word.
• Mixing capitals and full stops within one bulleted list.

Teaching ideas

Cover it up

For parenthesis, give pupils sentences with the extra information in a different colour. They cover it with their finger and read what's left. If it still makes sense, the marks are in the right place.

Semicolon or not?

Give pairs a stack of two-part sentences. For each, they cover one side, then the other, and decide whether a semicolon works or whether a comma and a conjunction is needed instead.

Draw the hyphen

Give phrases such as a little used car and a twenty one year old student. Children draw both possible meanings, then add a hyphen to make the intended one clear.

Upgrade the punctuation

Take a paragraph from pupils' own writing and ask them to add one example of parenthesis, one colon and one semicolon, each for a clear reason. Reading the before and after versions aloud shows the effect.

Try it: five quick questions

SATs-style questions to use as a starter or a quick check. Tap to see each answer.

1. Add a pair of brackets: My grandad who is 90 still swims every day.

   Show answer

   My grandad (who is 90) still swims every day.

2. Where does the colon go? You will need the following a pencil, a ruler and a rubber.

   Show answer

   After following: You will need the following: a pencil, a ruler and a rubber.

3. Can a semicolon go here? The sun was setting ___ we headed home.

   Show answer

   Yes. Both sides are complete clauses and closely linked.

4. Add a hyphen to show the shark eats people: a man eating shark

   Show answer

   a man-eating shark

5. Why are the dashes used? The cake – which Dad made – was delicious.

   Show answer

   To mark parenthesis: extra information about the cake.