Colons

:UWF Writing Lab

Grammar Mini- Lesson #32

The colon is often used to introduce explanatory elements, often in the form of a list.

The colon takes the place of such as, namely, or for example.

The colon must be preceded by

a complete sentence.

Correct: I hate this one course: English.•Notice the full sentence before the colon.•Note that your list may include only one word.

Incorrect: One course that I hate: English is the course I am failing. •The statement preceding the colon is not a full sentence.

The colon takes the place of the following phrases:

such as, for example, namely.

Do not use these phrases in combination with the colon.

Incorrect: Some mammals have no hair: namely, whales, porpoises, and bottle-nosed dolphins.

Correct: Some mammals have no hair, namely, whales, porpoises, and bottle-nosed dolphins.

Do not use a colon after a linking verb, which

connects the subject to the complement.

Incorrect: The three parts of a chemistry course are: lecture, recitation, and laboratory.

Correct: There are three parts to the chemistry course: lecture, recitation, and laboratory.