SAT/ACT Lesson #5:
Colons and Dashes
EXERCISE #1
Colons are used:
1. To announce/introduce a
list
2. To announce/introduce an
explanation
*IMPORTANT: There must be a
complete sentence before (to the
left of) a colon. What comes after
the colon can either be or not be a
complete sentence.
Colon Before a List:
(They are….)
1. I need three items at the store: dog food, vegetarian chili, and cheddar cheese.



In the sentence above, circle the colon.
Underline the complete sentence that comes before the colon.
Write the word “list” above the words that come after the colon.
2. Every winter, I enjoy: skiing, playing ice hockey, and sledding down steep hills.

Cross out the colon in the sentence above.
sentence?
*Why shouldn’t there be a colon in the
3. Every winter, I enjoy taking part in the following activities: skiing, playing ice
hockey, and sledding down steep hills.
(They are…)
*Why should there be a colon in the above sentence?
Colon Before an Explanation:
(that is…)
4. My agreement with Fiona is clear: she teaches me French and I teach her German.



In the sentence above, circle the colon.
Underline the complete sentence that comes before the colon.
Write the word “explanation” above the words that come after the colon.
5. The Amazon parrot does not make an ideal pet for most people because: it
requires much more attention and entertainment than many other animals do.

Cross out the colon in the sentence above.
sentence?
*Why shouldn’t there be a colon in the
6. The Amazon parrot does not make an ideal pet for most people for one major
reason: it requires much more attention and entertainment than many other
animals do.
(because…)
*Why should there be a colon in the above sentence?
EXERCISE #2
Colons are used:
1. To announce/introduce a list (They are…)
2. To announce/introduce an explanation
(because…)
(That is…)
Add in colons where necessary in the following sentences:
 Draw in a colon (if necessary)
 Label “full sentence” to the left of the colon.
 Fill in either “They are…”, “because…”, or “That is…” above the colon.
1. He became a veterinarian because he couldn’t stand to see animals
suffer.
2. Choose a book about animals, conservation, or oceanography.
3. You must take English, history, and science.
4. He set up an animal clinic there were none in his city.
5. The first three United States Vice Presidents were the following John
Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Aaron Burr.
6. He offered some free services there were many people who couldn’t
pay.
7. He hired some assistants veterinary students and other people with
training.
8. We visited three Canadian cities Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg.
9. He opened two more clinics one north of the city and another south of
the city.
10. Local business supported him they gave him supplies and money.
EXERCISE #3
Dashes have three major uses:
1. Set off a non-essential clause
2. Introduce a list or explanation
3. Create a deliberate pause
A. Set Off a Non-Essential Clause: 2 dashes = 2 commas
2 dashes = _________________
When used this way, two dashes are exactly equivalent to two commas. If one dash
appears, so must the other. Another punctuation mark such as a comma cannot be
used in place of it.
 Circle the dashes in the following sentence:
Thousands of children—like the girl in this photograph—have been left homeless.
 Correct the following sentence:
London—which is a very old city, has many new buildings.
Try the following SAT/ACT-style question:
The Norman Conquest—which occurred
in 1006, marked an important step in the
development of the English language.
1. A.
B.
C.
D.
Why did you choose the answer that you chose?
NO CHANGE
1066—marked
1066. Marked
1066: marked
EXERCISE #4
Dash Uses Continued:
B. Before a List or Explanation: Dash = Colon
1 dash = _________________
When used this way, a dash is the exact equivalent of a colon and must come after a
full, stand-alone statement.
(Circle the dash in the following sentences)
List: I enjoy participating in the following activities during the winter—skiing,
playing ice hockey, and sledding down steep hills.
Explanation: The Amazon parrot does not make an ideal pet for most people—it
requires much more attention and affection than many other animals do.
A. Create a Pause
A dash can also be used for stylistic reasons: to deliberately interrupt a statement or
to create a dramatic pause or sense of suspense.
(Circle the dash below)
After eight hours of driving, we finally arrived home—and that was when we
discovered that we had forgotten to close all of the windows.