Rhetoric and Composition/Colons

Colons are used to draw attention to certain words. They are used after an independent clause to direct attention to a list, appositive or quotation, between independent clauses when the second clause summarizes or emphasizes the first clause, or after the greeting in a formal letter. Some examples follow. + Use of Colons Case Example Note List I have three sisters: Catherine, Sarah and Mary. Sandwich requires several ingredients: bread, butter, cheese, ham and tomatoes. Appositive My mom has three pets: two cats and a dog. ? There was only one possible explanation: The train had never arrived. Quotation In the words of Homer: "Doh!" Between independent clauses Life is like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're going to get. Introduction of a definition Hypernym of a word: a word having a wider meaning than the given one. Is a special case of appositive. After salutation Dear Sir or Madam: In a dialogue Patient: Doctor, I feel like a pair of curtains.Doctor: Pull yourself together! Separation of title from subtitle Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope Separation of the chapter and the verse numbers of religious scriptures John 3:14–16 (or John III:14–16) The Qur'an, Sura 5:18 Separation within time of the day The concert finished at 23:45. This file was last modified today at 11:15:05. + Common Misuse of Colons Case Example Note Between a verb and its object Some important computer programs are: Word, Excel and Publisher. Sandwich requires: bread, butter, cheese, ham and tomatoes. By omitting the colon, the example becomes correct. Between a preposition and its object My cars of choice consist of: Honda Accord and Ford GT. By omitting the colon, the example becomes correct. After "such as", "including" or "for example" Bibliography W:Colon (punctuation) Semicolons Apostrophes