Transcript Punctuation: The Colon

Punctuation: The Colon
Caitlin Dougher
•When
will I
ever need to
use a colon?
•Colons
are
sometimes
not
recognized by
computer
grammar
checkers
So What?
http://www.stolaf.edu/services/cel/E-Newsletter/Will%20Work%20Cartoon.JPG

The colon (:) in most cases is a mark of
an introduction: it signals that the words
following will explain or amplify.

More common and conventional uses of
the colon include expressions of time.

Use a colon after the salutation of a
business letter, between title and subtitle,
and between divisions of time.
Business Letter Salutation
1) Dear Mrs. Smith:
2)Title
Subtitle
Charles Dickens: An Introduction to His Novels
William Shakespeare: A Collection of Plays
Divisions of time
3) 12:26 AM
6:00 PM
Rule #1 Use a colon to introduce a concluding
explanation.
1) Don't overlook the most important rule: never argue with the
boss.
2) There is only one thing left to do now: confess while you still
have time.
3) Let us not forget this rule: use a colon to introduce a concluding
explanation.

Rule #2 Use a colon to introduce a series.
1) The children were asked to bring certain supplies the next day:
crayons, scissors, glue, glitter, and ribbon.
2) At least three soul food dishes are familiar to most Americans:
fried chicken, barbequed spareribs, and sweet potatoes.
3) The baseball coach claimed that the team's success stemmed
from four things: consistent hitting, solid pitching, good fielding,
and excellent teamwork.
Use a colon to introduce an appositive.
What is an appositive?
An appositive is a noun or noun phrase that renames another noun
right beside it.
Ex) The insect, a cockroach, is crawling across the kitchen table.

Rule #3 Use a colon to introduce an
appositive.
1) Donald moved to a new state: Oregon.
2) Soul food has one disadvantage: namely, fat.
3) The preoccupied burglar didn't notice who was standing right
behind him: a smiling police officer.

Rule #4 Use a colon to introduce a long or
formal quote.
1) The conditions on the prairie differed for men and women, as Glenda
Riley notes:
“Women's shared responsibilities, life styles, and sensibilities constituted
a female frontier, that is, a comparable set of orientations and responses
that in most ways transcended the region of the frontier in which they
settled, the occupations of the men of their families, and the historical
period in which they lived” (201).
2) Hamlet’s soliloquy proposes a grim solution, as Shakespeare wrote:
“To be, or not to be--that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the
mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune Or to take
arms against a sea of troubles And by opposing end them. To die, to
sleep…”
Dear Ms. Walsh
I will be leaving school today at 11 00 AM. I will be sure to
continue reading Magical Tales A Collection of Short Stories for
homework.
Sincerely,
David
1) She said there is only one rule “Always
bring candy to the house when you are
visiting.”
2) He was watching his favorite sport
baseball.
3) There are three things I love in my life
my family, my friends, and my dog.
4) Mary's dinner reminded her of the back
yard both contained many wonderful
colors and smells.
Works Cited
Aaron, J. E. (2004). The Little, Brown Compact Handbook. New York: Pearson, Longman.
15, a., & meals, I. h. (n.d.). Semicolon & Colon Rules | Punctuation Rules | The Writing Center | Georgia
College. Retrieved October 25, 2009, from http://www.gcsu.edu/writingcenter/colonrules.htm
Colon Rules. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2009, from http://www.northland.cc.mn.us/owl/Colon%20rules.htm
Colons with Formal Appositives. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2009, from
http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000100.htm
Grammar & Punctuation: proper use of the colon. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2009, from
http://www.essortment.com/all/grammarpunctu_rxjn.htm
How to Use a Colon in a Sentence - wikiHow. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2009, from
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Colon-in-a-Sentence
How to Use a Colon | eHow.com. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2009, from
http://www.ehow.com/how_5954_colon.html#
LEO: Colon Rules. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2009, from http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/punct/colon.html
The Appositive. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2009, from http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/appositive.htm
The Colon. (n.d.). Retrieved October 25, 2009, from
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/marks/colon.htm