Question

Highlight the words that require colons to be added or removed. There are 3 errors to be found.

Every year, from late October to the end of December, the Donna Nook Nature Reserve in Lincolnshire plays host: to around 50,000 visitors. These guests, including many wildlife photographers, flock to see the amazing annual spectacle that the Nook presents the birth of some 1,000 newborn grey seal pups. Beach Ranger Peter Murray says: ‘The seals, which spend the rest of the year at sea or on remote sandbanks, come to the coastline to give birth, and if you're there at the right time you’re almost guaranteed a close encounter with these beautiful mammals.' Mr Murray adds, however, that these creatures need treating with respect: ‘So please stay within the viewing areas: and don’t try to feed or touch them.’

Answer 1

Colons should be removed after 'plays host' and 'areas', and added after 'presents' to correct the sentences. Proper punctuation, including the use of colons, commas, and conjunctions, helps to clarify the meaning and improve the readability of sentences.

Step-by-step explanation:

The words in the text that require colons to be added or removed to correct the punctuation are highlighted below:

• The colon after 'plays host' should be removed. The correct sentence should read 'Every year, from late October to the end of December, the Donna Nook Nature Reserve in Lincolnshire plays host to around 50,000 visitors.'
• The colon after 'presents' should be added. The correct sentence should read 'These guests, including many wildlife photographers, flock to see the amazing annual spectacle that the Nook presents: the birth of some 1,000 newborn grey seal pups.'
• The colon after 'areas' is unnecessary and should be removed. The correct sentence should read 'So please stay within the viewing areas and don’t try to feed or touch them.'

A run-on sentence can be fixed by using proper punctuation, like a comma and a coordinating conjunction or a semicolon. For example, 'The DNR eventually designated the area as crucial habitat, but the protection came too late to save the nesting birds.'