Intermediate English Grammar for ESL Learners - Robin Torres-Gouzerh 2016
The colon
23 Punctuation
A colon connects clauses that are closely linked in meaning or topic. Typically, the second clause continues or develops the thought of the first clause, or it contains an illustration or explanation of a topic in the first clause. If a complete sentence follows a colon, the first word of that sentence should be capitalized.
Bill has 20 paintings on his wall: Ten of them he painted himself.
The dictator was overthrown: The cruelty of his methods and the corruption of his government were finally exposed.
Everything in his life seemed to be coming apart and collapsing: his marriage, his career, his confidence in himself.
The economic sustainability of Bangladesh depends on three factors: the production of tea and rice, the export of garments, and foreign investment.
A colon is sometimes used to introduce dialogue or formal statements. In this case, the first word after the colon is capitalized.
Julien could not help himself when the teacher asked him what was wrong: “There is no reason for all of us to be punished because Fred won’t stop acting silly in class!”
If she wants my opinion, this is what I shall tell her: “You need to raise your own kids when they’re that little and stop leaving them in day care.”
A colon is used after the greeting in formal or business letters.
Dear Mrs. Jackson:
Dear Governor:
A colon is used to separate hours and minutes in statements of time.
8:15 A.M.
11:37 P.M.
Exercise 23.5 Add colons where needed.
1. She told me what her favorite colors were blue, red, and light olive green.
2. Dear Madam President
3. It is 530 A.M.; why are you calling me so early?
4. There are three main ingredients in a cake sugar, flour, and eggs.
5. It was time for the lawyer to make his closing statement “My client is an honest man, a hardworking man, a good husband, and he should not be sitting in this court today.”
6. Nixon said “Looting and pillaging have nothing to do with civil rights. Starting riots to protest unfair treatment by the state is not the best of solutions.”
7. John has five trophies on his bookshelf Four of them are from basketball tournaments.
8. The professor made an interesting statement during class “We have not yet addressed the topic of social revolutions, which is a key component of our present argument.”