The Colon: a sentence

gateway
The colon comes at a point in the sentence
where the sentence could come to a complete
stop.

I’m going to tell you the names of my

favorite breakfast foods.

We could even put a period after

the word “foods,” couldn’t we? In
fact, we did.

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 The Colon: a sentence
gateway
We know, however, what’s going to come
after this period.

I’m going to tell you the names of my

favorite breakfast foods.

That’s right, a LIST of

breakfast foods.

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 The Colon: a sentence
gateway
I’m going to tell you the names of my

:
favorite breakfast foods meuslix,
cornflakes, oatmeal, grits and gravy,
and yogurt on toast.

And the proper punctuation mark to

set off this list from what precedes it
is a colon. The colon “announces”
that a list is about to follow; it is the
gateway to that list.
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 Rules-

Rule- Use a colon to introduce an explanatory phrase or
a statement or a list of items that completes a sentence.
The part of a sentence before a list may contain a
demonstrative word or an expression such as the
following, including these or as follows.


Rule- Use a colon to separate two independent clauses
when the second clause explains or completes the first
sentence.

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 Examples- Colon

New legislation will affect the following cities: Frankfort,
Louisville, and Bowling Green.


Four types of communication are the following: listening,
reading, speaking and writing.

The evening news is a battleground for the three major
television networks: CBS, NBC, and ABC.


Making a film is like writing a paper: it absorbs all the
time you can give it.

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 The Colon: a sentence
gateway
My favorite breakfast foods are
meuslix, cornflakes, oatmeal, grits and
gravy, and yogurt on toast.
Would I use a colon in the sentence
above?
No, because the sentence does not come
to a halt here.
Instead, the sentence flows right into the list.
A colon would not be appropriate here.
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 Don’t

Don’t use colons after expressions such as for
example, such as, including, or that is. The colon is
intended to replace these expressions.
Ex Shoestring budgets have produced many successful
films such as (:) Flashdance, Breaking Away, and Sling
Blade.- wrong

Don’t use colons after linking verbs, or between a
preposition and its object.
Ex. The four types of communication are (:) listening,
reading, speaking and writing.
Ex. Katharine Hepburn starred in (:) Little Women, The
American Queen.

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 The Colon: a sentence
gateway
We also use the colon to set
off a formal quotation.

My father was always using his

favorite quotation from Yogi
Berra: “It ain’t over till it’s over.”

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 The Colon: a sentence
gateway
Just remember that you usually know what
is going to follow a colon: a list, an
explanation, or a formal quotation.

You have now mastered the uses of the colon, a

very handy device in the punctuation of your
sentences. Don’t forget to take the quizzes on
punctuation listed on the Quiz List page of the
Guide to Grammar and Writing.
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This PowerPoint presentation was created by
Charles Darling, PhD
Professor of English and Webmaster
Capital Community College
Hartford, Connecticut
copyright November 1999

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