Grammar lesson: colons

  • Due No due date
  • Points 5
  • Questions 10
  • Time Limit None

Instructions

HOW COLONS ARE USED

 

 

https://leo.stcloudstate.edu/punct/colon.html

 

The following rules and examples will help you know when and where to use the colon as a punctuation mark.

Use a colon to signal to the reader that a series of words, phrases, or clauses follows a complete sentence (the fancy term is independent clause).

·        The baseball coach claimed that the team's success stemmed from four things: consistent hitting, solid pitching, good fielding, and excellent teamwork.

·        The Greasy Spoon restaurant had several house specialties: a hot turkey sandwich, a roast pork dinner, a walleye platter, and a barbecued chicken wing basket.

 

NOTE: A colon is not used with the phrases “such as” and “for example”

1.      The colon already means “such as”/”for example”

2.      If those phrases are there, then what precedes them is NOT a complete sentence.

·        The Greasy Spoon restaurant had several house specialties, such as. FRAGMENT

·        The Greasy Spoon restaurant had several house specialties, for example. FRAGMENT

 

CORRECT VERSIONS:

·        The Greasy Spoon restaurant had several house specialties, such as a hot turkey sandwich, a roast pork dinner, a walleye platter, and a barbecued chicken wing basket.

·        The Greasy Spoon restaurant had several house specialties, for example a hot turkey sandwich, a roast pork dinner, a walleye platter, and a barbecued chicken wing basket.

 

Use a colon to signal to the reader that a second complete sentence explains a closely related preceding sentence.

·        Religion and politics can be sensitive subjects: many people hold opinionated views and are easily offended by other peoples' remarks.

 

Use a colon instead of a comma in front of a quotation to make the sentence more dramatic.

The supervisor's remark was straight to the point: "I won't tolerate workers who show up late."

·        

 

Use a colon to signal the reader when something follows a complete sentence and you want to put a lot of emphasis or dramatic effect on that item.

·        The local anglers had a nickname for the large muskie that had cruised the lake's shoreline for years without being caught: Old Mossback.

·        The preoccupied burglar didn't notice who was standing right behind him: a smiling police officer.

 

Colons are also used...

...to separate titles and subtitles:

Richard Nixon: The Tarnished President

...to express time

The accident occurred at approximately 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday.

...to cite a law or Biblical passage

According to Minnesota statute 1:49:002, it is unlawful to feed licorice or peanut butter to goats.

John 14:1–6

...to end a salutation in a business letter

Dear Resources Manager:

 

 
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