When writing, using colons can be a bit of a difficult thing. Sometimes people attempt to use them but do so in a manner that isn’t strictly grammatically correct. So, this guide will hopefully teach you how to avoid some common mistakes, what exactly colons are and how they work, and provide you with a little quiz at the end to test your new knowledge.
When to Use a Colon with 13 Colon Punctuation Rules
Because there are many punctuation marks that are used in a sentence, is good to know when is the right time to put the colon symbol.
(1) Use the colon mark when the sentence is completed. Usually, people are making this mistake because they think the colon will continue the previous sentence. This also depends on the writing style (if you are writing in Chicago style or AP style).
(2) You can use a colon to introduce an item or a list of items that are based on the same topic.
E.g. I’m going on a camping trip so I will need: sleeping bags, a tent, a fan.
(3) You can use a colon as a replacement for the exclamation mark, and so you are giving your point of view. It also used when writing scripts for a play, because it gives a specific tone to the speaker (it depends on the context).
E.g. You need one thing to lose weight: a good diet.
(4) You can use a colon when you don’t want to excessively use semicolons. This way, the colon will separate two sentences so you will not make a hardly understandable sentence.
E.g. He really made it the way he wanted: he built the dream house for his family. This is only allowed when using the AP style.
(5) When you are writing in the Chicago style, be sure that after the colon, your first letter is in upper case.
(6) You use the colon so as the words seem more spread out across the page.
(7) You can use a colon after a short introduction, like a headline, so you are making the reader follow the next steps you were writing.
(8) If you want your page to look good, is better to let a space between the sentence and the things that are coming after the colon. As you are starting a new phrase. Many people are wondering how much space should they let after placing the colon, and the answer is ‘ just like after using a comma ‘. And that is mostly when you write the paper on PC, because you can press the SPACE button once and that’s it. Manually is much harder to follow this rule properly.
(9) It’s better to use the colon in business letters, rather than a comma (as it is used). In the end, when you are sending the best regards (or what else), use the colon to separate your name from the salutation.
(10) You can use the colon even in a non-sentence way.
E.g. when you are writing the clock (13:34 p.m.).
(11) The colon symbol is used when you need to separate the volume and the page from a book. Is mostly used when writing the bibliography in Chicago style.
(12) You can use a colon when separating a question-answer interview.
E.g. Q: When do you want to leave the country?, A: As soon as possible.
(13) The colon symbol is also used in bible verses.
When Not to Use a Colon
(1) Do not use a colon symbol when the list is directly following a verb or preposition. That’s why is better to use bullet points so you won’t be afraid of using them.
(2) Do not use a colon when you are using a gerund verb. E.g. I bought many things including milk, oatmeals, bread.