Modern cards are written with specific grammar that dictates mechanics. The general layout is:

Activation Condition : Actions on activation (often referred to as “cost”) ; Effect on resolution

• Colon (:) – Text before the colon indicates the conditions that must be met to activate the card (Timing, Game State).
• Semicolon (;) – Text before the semicolon indicates the Cost and anything that happens at activation (like Targeting). You must pay costs even if the activation is negated later.
• Effect – The text following the semicolon happens during the resolution of the effect.

Card Example: Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring Text: “When a card or effect is activated that includes any of these effects (Quick Effect): You can discard this card; negate that effect.”

• Condition (Before Colon): When a card… is activated… (Quick Effect) – This tells you when you can use it.
• Cost (Before Semicolon): You can discard this card – You must discard this card from your hand to the GY immediately when you announce the activation.
• Effect (After Semicolon): Negate that effect – This happens when the chain resolves.

“If” vs. “When” (Missing Timing):

• “If… you can”: You can activate this effect even if the trigger wasn’t the very last thing to happen. (Standard for modern cards).
• “When… you can”: You can only activate this if the trigger was the very last thing to happen. If a monster is tributed for a summon, the tribute happens, then the summon happens. A “When” effect on the tributed monster will “miss timing” because the last event was the summon, not the tribute.