Punctuation

Question 1

What is a semicolon?

Answer 1

(;)
It connects two independent clauses. Therefore, the two parts on either side of the semicolon must be complete sentences, each one able to stand alone.
They also must be closely related in meaning.

Question 2

The volcano devastated the town; there was still hope.
Correct or incorrect?

Answer 2

Incorrect.
The sentence violates the “closely related in meaning” rule because it needs a contrast word such as however. In any sentence, if “but”, “however”, or an equivalent word is needed in order to convey a logical meaning, then it is incorrect to leave it out

Question 3

I like beer; and my grandmother likes bourbon
He applied to Harvard Business School; but he forgot to send his GMAT score
Correct or incorrect?

Answer 3

Both incorrect as you can never use a semicolon before “but” or “and”. You can use only a simple comma.

Question 4

Is it necessary to put a comma after “however” if a semicolon is used?

Answer 4

Yes, you need to use a semicolon before however and a comma after

Question 5

What is the use of a colon (:) ?

Answer 5

The colon goes before a list or a explanation.
Unlike semicolons, colons do not require the part after the colon to be a complete sentence. Only the part of the sentence before the colon must be able to stand alone

Question 6

Is it possible to have only one item in a list?

Answer 6

Yes. E.g.: I like only one kind of music: hip-hop