![]() ![]() ![]() However, if the item or list comes after an expression like “for instance,” “for example,” or “namely,” only use a colon if the series includes one or more grammatically complete clauses. She asked Gordon to fetch a few things: a barrel of apples, a cask of ale, and a spine to call his own. In this case, never capitalize the first word after the colon-unless it’s a proper noun!ĭuring the entire four-hour lecture, one name clung in her memory: Bernie. Use a colon to introduce either a single item or a list of items in a series. The pallor of his face betrayed him: white as his soul was black. No matter what kind of sentence you’re writing, a colon always must come after an independent clause: a clause that can stand on its own as a sentence. Should a colon divide these two clauses, or a semicolon? Or a dash? Or a period? How to Use a Colon CorrectlyĬorrect punctuation is important in your writing: poorly punctuated prose is a major turn-off for publishers and readers alike, and can result in your manuscript being rejected for publication-or, at the very least, your audience not taking your writing terribly seriously.īut don’t fret! This comprehensive guide will teach you 9 ways to correctly use colons: where to place them, when best to use them, and how they operate in a sentence.Īnd as an added bonus, we’ll show you how it’s done: each rule we introduce will be illustrated with an example sentence or two, so you’ll see the colon in action plenty of times before we’re through.īefore we begin, here’s one writ-in-stone rule to remember. ![]() And it’s the only mark of punctuation with the same name as a digestive organ!īut the colon is also famously squirrely and difficult to use correctly: many folks are never quite sure where and when it should be placed in a sentence. More conservative marks are concerned only with the ideas that came before them, but the colon is all about the future. Out of all the punctuation marks used in the English language, the colon is by far the most forward-thinking. ![]()
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