Punctuation as a Road Map: Commas, Dashes, Colons

Use middle-school punctuation to guide pauses and meaning while reading.

Punctuation tells you how a sentence is built. A comma usually signals a short pause between parts. A semicolon joins two complete thoughts that are closely related, so it calls for a slightly longer pause than a comma. A colon announces that something is coming: a list, an explanation, or an example. A pair of dashes sets off an interruption that the writer wants to stand out. Compare these: 'She packed three things: a map, a flashlight, and water. ' The colon tells you the list explains 'three things.

' 'The river rose quickly; by noon the bridge was closed. ' The semicolon links cause and result. 'My brother, who never cooks, made dinner. ' The commas mark extra information. 'My brother — who never cooks — made dinner! ' The dashes make the same aside louder and more surprising. Reading these signals correctly helps you hear the writer's intended rhythm and emphasis.

• 1Commas: short pause between parts
• 2Semicolons: link two related complete thoughts
• 3Colons: something is coming, like a list or explanation
• 4Dashes: an interruption the writer wants to emphasize