Colon
Why do we use colon in this sentence?
I need to buy several items from the grocery store: eggs, milk, bread, and fresh vegetables.
Introduce a list
But this was just the beginning…
Indicate the omission of words, phrases, or sentences.
I wanted to go to the park, but it started raining.
Before a coordinating conjunction (For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So)
It’s a high-level meeting.
To form compound words
Fame is a fickle food
Alliteration
As Albert Einstein once said: “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
Introduce a quotation
I’m not sure what to think about this… It’s just sad.
Indicate a pause, hesitation, or confusion.
After the meeting, we went out for dinner.
To separate introductory elements:
Rewrite pre-existing documents.
To join prefixes to words
A dismayed baby wailed nearly all day
Assonance
She had one goal in mind: to win the marathon and prove her endurance and determination to the world.
Introduce an explanation, elaboration, or add extra information
I was just saying that I really… Oh my gosh, look at that!
Show an interruption.
She adopted a small, fluffy kitten.
To separate coordinate adjectives
She studies late into the night; her determination never wavers.
To connect closely related independent clauses
Consonance
The meeting is at 3:30 p.m.
Separate hours and minutes in time
I was going to tell you what happened last night… Never mind, it’s not important.
Indicate a change of thought.
If it rains tomorrow, we will stay indoors.
To separate a dependent clause from an independent one in a complex sentence
It was a tough task; however, he managed to finish it perfectly.
Before conjunctive adverbs to join two closely related clauses
‘The snake slithered slowly across the bank.’
Sibilance
The Great Gatsby: A Tale of Jazz Age New York.
Introduce a subtitle or description that follows the title
What effect does this sentence have?
She knew... or thought she knew...
Ambiguity
My dog, Max, loves to play in the park.
Before and after an appositive
What effect can semi colon create?
Further description/clarify complex list/add variety to sentence structure/enhance the flow of writing/suspense/sense of importance/emphasise relationship between ideas
beauty is in the eye of the beholder
the perception of beauty is subjective