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Colons and DashesLooking Forward—Looking Backward

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ColonsThe colon is essentially forward-looking and introduces something hinted at but not yet mentioned, most often in the form of a list:

My mother is sending me to the store to buy groceries: eggs, bacon, milk, and flour.

We will visit seven European countries in the spring: France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and the Czech Republic.

Cannibalism is of three kinds: endo-cannibalism, exo-cannibalism, and ritual cannibalism.

Dashes

Dashes are backward-looking, and specify the particulars of something already mentioned:

I was born in Rhodesia—or Zimbabwe, as it is called today.

I graduated from Brigham Young University—and yes, I was a Mormon at the time.

Dashes, contd.

Dashes may also be used parenthetically:

My mother—who lives in Idaho now—still considers herself a Hoosier.

The Hundred Years’ War—which lasted 116 years, mind you—ran from 1337 to 1453.

When I wrote my first book—twenty-two years ago, now, I’m chagrined to say—it was much easier to find a publisher than it is today.

General Principles

The general principle to remember, then, is that

• colons are introductory in nature and present something not yet mentioned.

• dashes are explanatory in nature and elaborate on something already mentioned.

Understand that, although the dash is useful and is frequently used, it is still viewed, particularly in academic circles, as informal. Limit its use, and be sure that your professor does not object to this particular punctuation mark.

Questions?

The End

Painting by Felix Vallotton, “Woman Writing.”

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