Homogeneous members sentences are words that answer the same question, refer to the same word in a sentence and are the same member of the sentence.
Homogeneous members are separated from each other commas:
It was light, joyful, warm!
Snow, rain, wind didn't bother this man.
Perky, cheerful, amazingly familiar a voice stopped him.
is he ran, flew, rushed towards your dream.
Comma is placed between homogeneous members if they are connected:
- recurring alliances then ... then, neither ... nor, or ... or:
Then snow, then wind; - double unions somehow and, not only, but also, if not something:
Both trees and bushes were green. Not only trees were green, but also bushes. Leaves bloom, if not in April, then in May (a comma before, if not put).
Front single union "and" no comma:
Trees, bushes, flowers, and herbs turned green.
A sentence can have several rows of homogeneous members:
Maples and birches crowded on hillocks and hollows.
Colonbefore the enumeration is put if:
- it is necessary to warn the reader that the following enumeration follows:
Meanwhile, there are many factories and factories of its own: hat, glass, paper), etc. (I. A. Goncharov) - enumeration is preceded by:
general word: Everything in a person should be beautiful: face, clothes, soul, and thoughts. (A.P. Chekhov);
introductory word (somehow, namely, for example, etc.), while the introductory word is separated by a comma: For trade, these trades barely deliver a few unimportant items, such as skins, horns, fangs. (I. A. Goncharov)
Dash placed after the listing in the middle of the sentence, if the generalizing word comes after the homogeneous members of the sentence: From the house, from the trees, from the dovecote - from total long shadows ran. (I.A.Goncharov)
Colon and dash the enumeration in the middle of the sentence is highlighted if this enumeration is preceded by a generalizing word, and after the enumeration the sentence continues: And he has a lot of good: furs, satin, silver - both in sight and under the locks. (A.S. Pushkin).
Problems and tests on the topic "Homogeneous members of the sentence and punctuation marks with" and "
- Homogeneous members of a sentence, punctuation marks with them - Sentence. Collocation grade 4
Lessons: 1 Assignments: 9 Tests: 1
- Proposals with homogeneous members. Generalizing words - Basic concepts of syntax and punctuation grade 5
Lessons: 2 Assignments: 8 Tests: 3
- Punctuation for homogeneous members connected by non-repeating, repeating and paired conjunctions - Simple complicated sentence grade 11
Lessons: 2 Assignments: 6 Tests: 1
- Punctuation marks in definitions and applications - Simple complicated sentence grade 11
Lessons: 2 Assignments: 7 Tests: 1
Attention! IN differenta comma before "and" is impossible!
Remember that:
- if a generalizing word comes before homogeneous members, then a colon is placed after it;
- if the generalizing word comes after homogeneous members, then a dash is placed after the generalizing word;
- if a generalizing word comes before homogeneous members, then, as you already know, a colon is placed after it; but if the sentence continues after the listing, then a dash must be put after the homogeneous members.
For example:
Everyone: children, adults, dogs - mixed in one heap.
When is a colon in a sentence? It is usually used in or where any part of speech is present. In this article, we will talk about when to put the colon. So, below we give a list of rules that govern the setting of this and specific examples. When is the colon placed?
Russian language rules
1. In the event that after the words of the author in the sentence there is a direct speech. Examples:
Going to the counter, Alexei said: "Please give me a carton of milk."
I thought, "Should I trust him?"
If the sentence does not use direct speech and there is indirect speech (for example "I thought it would be nice to come on time."), the colon is not used. Unions and commas are used instead.
2. The colon is put in the event that two sentences are combined into one without the help of conjunctions, and the second part reveals the meaning of the words of the first. Example:
We finally came down from the mountain and looked around: in front of us was the purest lake.
Two guards saw that the thieves had escaped.
3. The colon is also used if the sentence consists of several parts (compound). In this case, two situations are possible:
... The second part of the sentence reveals the meaning of the first. Example:
Elena was right: the only person who could stop him was his father.
Ivan did not trust him: he was afraid that Semyon would deceive him again.
The second part describes the reason. Example:
It's not just that I didn't trust you: you were always silent and you were extremely cold.
4. When is the colon inserted? In the sentence after and before the listing of anything it ends with. Example:
All his relatives lived in this house: mother, father, aunt, grandmother and mother-in-law. Her apartment was so clean that everything seemed to shine: dishes, mirrors, and even the floor. This forest is home to predators: wolves, foxes and bears.
5. A colon is put in a sentence if there is a listing of something, but there is no generalizing word. Example:
Stuck out of the bag: wallet, documents, hairbrush and passport.
They left the apartment: a woman, a man and a child.
6. A colon is put in the case of listing something, the presence of a generalizing word or the following words: "like that", "for example", "namely". Examples:
He had many plans for the near future, for example: buy a computer, go on vacation and get married.
Evgeny was interested in information about the city of Astrakhan, namely: when it was founded, how many inhabitants live in it and what sights there are.
Other cases
In what cases is the colon still put?
... In mathematics, as a division sign. Example: 6:3=2.
... In information technology, when naming computer disks. Example: D: R: etc.
Now you know when to put a colon, and you can safely use it. Often, due to illiteracy or carelessness, a dash could be used instead of this punctuation mark. This is an unacceptable violation.A in mathematics, the division sign can be denoted by several options: 6/3 \u003d 2 or 6: 3 \u003d 2.
There are quite a lot of punctuation marks in the Russian language. Some are used to complete a sentence, others emphasize intonation and mood, and others divide a passage of text into logical parts. To understand what the colon is used for, you need to consider when it is used.
First you need to remember that in most cases this sign is placed in complex sentences, with the exception of some points.
- In the Russian language there is such a concept as a "generalizing word". For a better understanding, consider the example of the sentence "There were tools on the table: a hammer, a drill, a saw and a jigsaw." This sentence talks about the tools that are on the table, and then they are all listed. In this case, the word "tools" will be generalizing. From here we get the first rule, which says that the colon must be placed after the generalizing word. To fix it, we will give another example: "By tomorrow I need to do my homework: biology, algebra and geography."
- In headings like "Ivanov: gamer and programmer", this sign is also placed. If we consider a specific rule, then the first part of the heading should indicate the actor, some kind of problem or place of action. The second part of the heading gives specificity to the first. "The country's economy: further development".
- Let's say that there is no generalizing word, but there is an enumeration. In this case, the sign will also be placed, for example: "On the table lay: phone, keys and money."
Colon in complex sentences
Use of this punctuation mark in complex constructions much more, but there is nothing difficult about it.
- Consider this example: "Mom told me this morning," Don't forget to stop by the store and buy milk. " This example contains direct speech, and if it comes after the words of the author, then it must be preceded by a colon. Please note that if the sentence looks like this: "Go to the store and buy milk," my mother told me, "then the colon will not be put, since the direct speech is before the words of the author.
- Unionless complex sentences are also non-union because they simply do not have unions: "Mom cleans the room, I do my homework." This is a very simple sentence that does not require any punctuation except for a comma. But what about this example: "Read more books: they will increase your vocabulary, teach you how to write and speak correctly." Why is there a colon in this case? There is a rule that says: if the second part of a non-union complex sentence reveals the meaning of the first part or indicates the reason, then a colon is put after the first part. The statement prompts you to read books and further indicates the reason for the motivation. “The weather was very bad: it was raining and there was a strong wind,” is another good example of this rule.
- Another rule about the setting of this punctuation mark says that it must be placed between two simple sentences that are not connected by a union, if the first contains verbs like "see", "look", "hear", "know" and so Further. These words seem to hint at a further description of something. The rule sounds rather complicated, but in reality the opposite is true. "I peered for a long time and finally realized: the shadows on the wall reminded me of a human silhouette." “Walking down the street, I hear someone calling me.” These two examples perfectly illustrate the rule.
- Words such as "namely", "for example", "by the way" require a colon after themselves. "Last year I have visited all the major countries, namely China, the United States, Brazil and Indonesia." Note that without the expression "namely," in this example, the colon would still be used.
Do I need a colon for indirect speech
We have considered all cases in Russian when a colon is used. I would like to focus on direct speech. The fact is that in addition to it, indirect speech is also used, and they must be distinguished in order to put the correct punctuation mark.
- Mom told me: "I need to go to the store and buy milk." Mom said to throw out the trash. The second sentence will be indirect speech. It can be easily identified by several conjunctions, such as “what”, “to”, “when”, “why” and others. Indirect speech is a subordinate clause in a complex sentence and is not highlighted with a colon.
Summing up, we can say that colon serves as a punctuation separator, which is placed only in the middle of a simple sentence in the case of a generalizing word and enumeration. In a complex construction, this punctuation mark is necessary if there is a reason explaining the first part of the sentence, if there is direct speech, if there are qualifying words and verbs hinting at a further description of something.
Video
This video will help you understand when you need to put a colon in a sentence.
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When writing, have you often had to think about when to put a colon and when to use a dash? Probably often, because these punctuation marks, like any others, require adherence to certain rules, although in some cases they are very similar. But which ones - we will talk later in the article.
The relationship between generalizing words and a colon or dash
Arguing about when to put a colon and when to put a dash, first of all it is necessary to mention those sentences in which homogeneous terms are used, and with them there is a generalizing word. It is after it, before the listing, that a colon is needed.
So, for example, in the sentence: “ In his backpack, you could always find interesting things: pebbles, bolts, metal balls and even a fly in a matchbox", Before the listing there is a generalizing word" things"Followed by a colon in this situation.
If the generalizing word is after the enumeration, then a dash must be placed in front of it. For example: " Pebbles, bolts, metal balls and even a fly in a matchbox - these are the things that can always be found in Petka's backpack».
By the way, after the generalizing word, you can often find a dash, which is also the right option. For example: " Everything is different there - language, lifestyle and even values».
Colon and dash in non-union complex sentences
There are several cases when a colon is used in complex non-union sentences:
- If the second part of a complex sentence explains the content of the first. Then between them you can put unions "namely" or "like that." For example: "Everything in nature spoke of joy: the sun was shining brightly from the clear sky, and birds were singing in different voices."
- If the second part of the sentence indicates the reason for what is mentioned in the first part of it. Then, by the way, it is easy to put the unions "because" and "since" between the parts. For example: "Ivan was a very distrustful person: he was too often let down by his loved ones."
- Another case when a colon is put between parts of a sentence is where one part warns that the presentation will continue further. In such sentences, in the first part, as a rule, one of the verbs is used: see, know, hear, feel, etc. For example: "Peter and Anna knew: they will definitely have a big and noisy family." As you can see, between the parts of this sentence and similar ones, you can put the conjunction "what", thus turning it into a complex sentence.
It is also a valid option to use a dash instead of a colon in these sentences. Compare:
- He understood - the irreparable happened.
- It is better not to say something like this with him - it may take offense.
- It seemed to them - a little more, and everything will come true.
By the way, sentences with a warning about the continuation of the narrative should be distinguished from complex sentences that do not contain such. In this case, a comma is placed between the parts. For example: " I know they will live with us».
When a colon is used in a sentence with direct speech
In those sentences where direct speech is used, a colon is placed after the words of the author, for example:
- On the way home, Nina plaintively asked Sonya: "Can you ever forgive me?"
- She said through clenched teeth: "If you knew how I hate this life."
Sentences that include direct speech must be distinguished from complex structures. In the latter, a comma is placed before the relative clause, for example:
- On the way home, Nina plaintively asked Sonya if she could count on forgiveness.
- She spoke through clenched teeth that she extremely hated this life.
When to put a colon in the title
The rules for writing headings require a separate explanation. If the title of some text is divided into two parts, and the first of them (nominative) names a person, problem, scene, etc., and the second specifies the meaning of the first, then a colon is put between them.
Let's look at examples of such headers:
- Angina: signs and methods of treatment of the disease.
- Mikhail Bulgakov: unknown facts from the biography of the writer.
- Ten days in India: a land of wonders and contrasts.
So should I put a dash or a colon?
In conclusion, we can say that in modern language it becomes easier to decide when to put a colon, and when it is better to do with a dash, since the dash in this " duel "is often the winner.
According to the famous D.E. Rosenthal, a dash is a freer sign, often “ going "and in the possession of the colon. How can this be explained? The linguist believes that a dash in a sentence performs not only purely syntactic functions, but also gives it an emotional and expressive coloring. Obviously, this is why authors love it so much in fiction and in periodicals. As an example, we can cite several phrases from newspapers: “ The elections are over - the results can be summed up" or " Experts call this process quite natural - the demand for land has increased».
This means that it is possible to decide when to put a colon in a sentence and when to use a dash based on the author's preferences.
11 simple rules to help you learn how to create correct and readable lists anywhere: in presentations, reports, documents or on websites.
When drafting documents, we often come across all kinds of lists. There are simple and multilevel lists. How to arrange them? When to use numbering, letters and dashes? When is a period at the end of each list item appropriate, and when is a comma or semicolon appropriate?
When drafting documents, we often come across all kinds of lists. Moreover, there are a great many rules for their design. Let's try to understand them.
List item designation
The preceding sentence and the elements of the following list (listed after the colon) can be written as a single line. But in long and complex lists, it is much more convenient to place each item on a new line. And then you have a choice: you can limit yourself to using paragraph indentation (Example 1) or replace it with a number, letter, or dash (Example 2).
Example 1
Example 2
Lists are:
simple, those. consisting of one level of articulation of the text (see Examples 1 and 2) and
composite, including 2 or more levels (see Example 3).
The choice of symbols that will precede each element of the list depends on the depth of division. For simple lists, you can use lowercase (“small”) letters, Arabic numerals or dashes.
The situation is much more complicated with composite lists. For greater clarity combinations of different characters in the lists, we give an example of a 4-level list:
Example 3
From this example, it can be seen that the heading numbering system looks like this: the first level headings are formatted using a Roman numeral, the second level headings - using Arabic numerals without brackets, the third level headings - using Arabic numerals with brackets, and, finally, the fourth level headings decorated with lowercase letters with brackets. If this list included one more, fifth level, then we would draw up it with a dash.
Numbering system for parts of a composite list can only consist of Arabic numerals with dots.Then the structure of constructing the number of each element of the list reflects its subordination in relation to the elements located above (there is an increase in digital indicators):
Example 4
If at the end of the list there is "etc.", "etc." or "etc.", then such text is not placed on a separate line, but is left at the end of the previous list item (see Examples 3 and 4).
Punctuation of lists
In Example 3, you can clearly see that the headings of the first and second levels begin with capital letters,and the headings of subsequent levels are from lowercase. This is because after the Roman and Arabic (without brackets) numbers, according to the rules of the Russian language, a dot is put, and after the dot, as we all remember from elementary school, a new sentence begins, which is written with a capital letter. There is no period after Arabic numerals with brackets and lowercase letters with brackets, so the following text begins with a small letter. The last position, by the way, also applies to a dash, since it is difficult to imagine a combination of a dash with a period after it.
pay attention to punctuation marks at the end
list headings, as well as at the end of words and phrases in its composition.
If the heading assumes the subsequent division of the text, then a colon is put at the end of it, if there is no subsequent division, a full stop is put.
Example 5
If parts of the list consist of simple phrases or one word, they are separated from each other by commas (see Example 5). If parts of the list are complicated (there are commas inside them), it is better to separate them with a semicolon (see Example 6).
Example 6
Finally, if parts of the list are separate sentences, they are separated from each other by a period:
Example 7
Sometimes the list is drawn up in such a way that it is preceded by a whole sentence (or several sentences). In this case, the list uses only the so-called "lower" levels of articulation (lowercase letters with brackets or dashes), and dots at the end of each part of the list are not put, since in this case, the list is a single sentence:
Example 8
It happens that in any part of the list, which are phrases, an independent sentence starting with a capital letter is included. Regardless of the fact that at the end of the sentence, according to the rules of the Russian language, a period should be put, each element of the list will be separated from the next by a semicolon:
Example 9
List item consistency
When compiling lists, you should definitely pay attention to the fact that the initial words of each element of the list are consistent with each other in gender, number and case. In Example 10, we gave a variant of the incorrect design: the last element of the list is used in a different case compared to the rest. Errors like this are usually found in long lists with many items.
Example 10
Also, all elements of the list must be consistent in gender, number and case with the words (or word) in the sentence preceding the list, followed by a colon. Let's revisit an example of mis-listing to analyze errors.
Example 11
This list may seem perfect if not for one "but". The word "observance" requires words in the genitive after it, which would answer the questions "who?" what? " Therefore, each section should begin like this:
So, we have given the basic rules for building and formatting lists that will help make your documents even more literate.