Colons
The colon (:) is a punctuation mark used to indicate an introduction to something. It can be used to introduce an independent clause (and thereby combine two independent clauses), or other items such as lists, quotations, examples, or explanations.
Colons to Combine Independent Clauses
When one independent clause introduces another, the best punctuation for combining them is a colon. Leaving them as two separate sentences can confuse readers through unintended disconnection. Using just a comma is an error called a comma splice (see the section Common Sentence Errors for more information). Examples:
I have an idea: let’s order pizza.
The English language changes more than others, such as French, for one key reason: the culture of the English language encourages innovation.
In these examples, the clauses on either side of the colon are independent and could stand alone as separate sentences, but one introduces the other, so combining them with a colon is the best choice here.
Colons to Introduce Letters
You can use a colon after the greeting in business letters and memos.
Dear Hiring Manager:
To: Human Resources
From: Deanna Dean
Colons to Introduce a List
Use a colon to introduce a list of items. Introduce the list with an independent clause.
The team will tour three states: New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
I have to take four classes this semester: Composition, Statistics, Ethics, and Italian.
Colons to Introduce a Quotation
You can use a colon to introduce a quotation.
Mark Twain said it best: “When in doubt, tell the truth.”
Colons to Introduce Examples or Explanations
Use a colon to introduce an example or to further explain an idea presented in the first part of a sentence. The first part of the sentence must always be an independent clause. Do not use a colon after phrases like such as or for example.
Correct: Our company offers many publishing services: writing, editing, and reviewing.
Incorrect: Our company offers many publishing services, such as: writing, editing, and reviewing.
Attributions
This chapter is an adaptation of Colons by Josh Woods, editor and contributor, as well as an unnamed author (by request from the original publisher), and other authors named separately is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted. You can download this book free at The Writing Textbook Copyright © 2021.
