3.4: Colon
- Page ID
- 45565
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Think of the colon as the Vanna White of punctuation: it’s used almost exclusively to present the sentence’s really important content. A colon can introduce a list, a direct quotation, or an explanation (see, for example, the first sentence above). A colon almost always needs to follow a complete thought:
- The treasures he found were impressive: rubies, diamonds, and the original VW Beetle. [ complete thought followed by list ]
- Herman Melville begins his novel Moby-Dick with a simple yet intriguing sentence: “Call me Ishmael.” [ complete thought followed by direct quotation ]
- The candidate lacks one of the most essential traits of an effective leader: integrity. [ complete thought followed by explanation ]
You can’t use “such as” or a “be” verb like “is” or “are” in front of a colon. Like the semi-colon, it prefers to work alone.
- Many school districts struggle to fund important programs such as: music and art. [ incorrect —colon disrupts the flow ]
- Many school districts struggle to fund important programs such as music and art. [ correct ]
- My favorite pizza toppings are: peppers, onions, and ham. [ incorrect — colon disrupts the flow ]
- My favorite pizza toppings are peppers, onions, and ham. [ correct ]
Be careful when writing letters. A comma after “Dear Jane,” is friendly; a colon after “Dear Jane:” means business.