Transcript PUNCTUATION - Tulsa Community College
NEC FACET Center
Colons
Using colons will give your sentences variety .
Use a colon to show that a direct quote will follow.
Kate Chopin opens “The Story of an Hour” with this sentence: “Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death.” This colon leads into a quote.
Do not use colons to introduce every direct quotation. The structure of your sentence determines what punctuation mark you should use.
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The word echoed in Louise Mallard’s mind: “Free! Free! Free!” (a colon) The little blond girl remarked, “You are not a friend of Luciana because I’m her cousin and I know all her friends. And I don’t know you.” (a comma) The less affluent townspeople considered wealthy Richard Cory “ a gentleman from sole to crown.” (No punctuation is needed because the quote is part of the sentence structure.)
Use a colon when the words introducing the quotation form a complete sentence in themselves.
Use a colon to introduce a list if the introductory words could serve
explain?
Jim packed a healthy lunch for the road: a turkey sandwich, veggie chips and a banana.
This is a complete sentence with a list following it.
The number of participants exceeded my expectations: Roger Williams, Lisa Turner, Brent Stall, Mina Smith, and Debbie Talon.
Complete sentence with a list following
Do not use a colon every time you have a list.
Marge bought rice, hamburger meat, and salsa.
The sentence must be complete with a list following.
We made kites, drums, and stockings for the holiday parade.
These sentences do not need colons because they are not complete without the list.
The teacher brought: the test, pencils, and Scantron sheets.
Tom likes all forms of chocolate such as: candy bars, cookies, cake, and ice cream.
The bouquet consists of: orchids, lilacs, and freesia.
Among other things, Border’s sells: novels, stationary, and cards.
Use a colon to separate an appositive at the end of a sentence if the words preceding the comma can stand alone as a complete sentence.
Need an explanation? Continue on. . .
The famous Louvre in Paris owns one of Leonardo Di Vinci’s most famous paintings: the mysterious Mona Lisa .
Although often dealing with serious issues, the television series Mash carried one light-hearted message: people can find humor even in the worst of times.
Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” explores an important theme: gender equality.
Use a colon following the salutation in a business letter .
Dear Dr. Robbins: Dear Ms. Baxter: To Whom It May Concern:
Dear Aunt Rose, Use a comma after the salutation in a personal letter to a friend or relative.
Dear Jason,
Use a colon after each of the four standard headings at the top of an interoffice memo.
Interoffice Memorandum To: Date: From: Subject:
Use a colon between titles and subtitles of books, articles, and essays.
The Future of Nuclear Energy: A Nightmare or a Dream Come True?