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The Correct Use of Colons
When do you use a colon?
After an independent clause to introduce a list.
Ex. I need three things from the store: milk, eggs and bread.
This sign for Fuddruckers Greatest Hamburgers is incorrect. There should be a colon instead of a period. Also, they spelled “Dinning” instead of Dining Room.
Colons can also be used before quotes.
Ex. As John F. Kennedy said: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
“Piracy: It's just easier, man.”“Oh, I’d sure like to watch [any *expletive* movie]!”“That’s cool, you have three minutes?”“Yeperoo!”“OH LOOK HERE I AM ENJOYING MY MOVIE”“What I’m trying to say is: ad based streaming services for feature films. Give it a try.”
This conversation is courtesy of a random tumblr site. There are two colons used and both are incorrect.
Correct Examples
There was only one thing left to do: win the race.
The major holidays coming up are as follows: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.
To summarize: we found the campsite, gathered firewood, ate dinner and got attacked by bears.
When it comes to using colons, do not do the following:
1.use a colon to separate a preposition from its objects.2.use a colon to separate a verb from its objects3.use a colon after "such as.”4.pick up the main clause again (after a word, phrase, or clause
has been introduced by a colon, the sentence must end with the introduced element)
Example of number 4. We were offered a choice of desserts: chocolate cake, an assortment of cookies, and a fruit cocktail, but we were too stuffed to eat another bite.
*The sentence should end with fruit cocktail, and then begin a new sentence.
The Power of a Colon
Work Citedhttp://www.tumblr.com/tagged/two+misused+colons
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bLeHo5L3oxk/S9hN2zFB1OI/AAAAAAAAALU/cQGSyXjE1tE/s1600/i+love+grammar.jpg
http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/cbu/lowres/cbun119l.jpg
http://www.funnytypos.com/dinning-room-misspelling/
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