The colon ‘:’ can be a tricky punctuation mark to use, and often it is used in the wrong context. If you want to make sure you are using it correctly in your documents, read on for a comprehensive explanation!
When to Use a Colon
Lists
You can use a colon to show the reader that a list of items will follow, like so:
‘I went shopping and I bought: a pen, a dress, and a hat’
To join two sentences
You can use a colon to join two sentences when the second expands on the content of the first, for example:
‘Do or do not: there is no try’
To introduce a quote
This is mostly used in academic writing when you wish to cite someone else’s words in support of your own:
As Moore (1997) states:
‘a sunspot will be carried slowly across the Earth-turned disk, and eventually it will vanish over the limb, to reappear a fortnight or so later, assuming that it has not disappeared in the meantime. No spot-group lasts for very long’.
Note that colons are generally used for longer quotes in academic writing (those over 40 words long). These longer quotes are usually indented from the main body of the text. Shorter quotes can be incorporated into the flow of your sentence and signaled with quote marks.
When Not to Use a Colon
When an introductory word takes the place of the colon
Words such as ‘for example’ and ‘namely’ are used in the same way as the colon- to introduce lists. If you use one of these signaling verbs within a sentence you will not need the colon:
‘We bought many items at the shops, for example, butter, eggs, milk, and cheese’
‘The list of nominees included Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, and Tim Burton’
These two sentences have no need for a colon.
If you are in any doubt over your use of punctuation, you can send your paper to the professionals at Proofread My Paper. They will provide a full proofreading service and show you clear ways to improve your writing.