Use of colon`
Shamelessly reproduced frm http://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 the reader that a series of words, phrases, or clauses follows a complete sentence.
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.
* Use a colon to signal the reader that a second complete sentence explains a closely related preceding sentence.
The supervisor's remark was straight to the point: I won't tolerate workers who show up late.
Religion and politics can be sensitive subjects: many people hold opinionated views and are easily offended by other peoples' remarks.
* Use a colon to signal the reader that a name or description follows a complete sentence when you want to put a lot of emphasis 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.
* Use a colon to introduce a long quotation after a complete sentence.
In his book, Language is Sermonic, rhetorician Richard Weaver described how language may influence us:
Sophistications of theory cannot obscure the truth that there are but three ways for language to affect us. It can move us toward what is good; it can move us toward what is evil; or it can, in hypothetical third place, fail to move us at all. (60)
* 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.
...to end a salutation:
Dear Rachel:
...to separate the place of publication and the publisher in a bibliographic entry:
West, Gerald. How to Write Best Sellers. New York: Henry
James Publishing, 1973.
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 the reader that a series of words, phrases, or clauses follows a complete sentence.
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.
* Use a colon to signal the reader that a second complete sentence explains a closely related preceding sentence.
The supervisor's remark was straight to the point: I won't tolerate workers who show up late.
Religion and politics can be sensitive subjects: many people hold opinionated views and are easily offended by other peoples' remarks.
* Use a colon to signal the reader that a name or description follows a complete sentence when you want to put a lot of emphasis 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.
* Use a colon to introduce a long quotation after a complete sentence.
In his book, Language is Sermonic, rhetorician Richard Weaver described how language may influence us:
Sophistications of theory cannot obscure the truth that there are but three ways for language to affect us. It can move us toward what is good; it can move us toward what is evil; or it can, in hypothetical third place, fail to move us at all. (60)
* 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.
...to end a salutation:
Dear Rachel:
...to separate the place of publication and the publisher in a bibliographic entry:
West, Gerald. How to Write Best Sellers. New York: Henry
James Publishing, 1973.
posted by Truly Yours | 11:09 PM
1 Comments:
What about the humble comma? I personally think it's the most mis-used punctuation mark ever! :-?
P.S: Out of your writer's block? ;-)
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