CRT Grammar Review
Colons
Colons are used in the following ways:
- Business salutations
- Time
- At the beginning of a list
- Separate an independent clause
- Miscellaneous usage
1) Business Salutation
The salutation is the opening part of the letter. For example:
Dear John Doe:
To Whom It May Concern:
To the Residents of 555 1st St.:
The colon is typically used in business letters only. It is not used in personal letters, which uses a comma at the end of the salutation.
2) Time
A colon is used in between the hours and minutes. Examples:
5:49 a.m.
3:30 p.m.
2:17 a.m
3) At the Beginning of a List
Colons are used to let the reader know a list is coming, especially lists that contain several items. Examples:
We packed everything into the car: the sleeping bags, tents, food and cooking gear.
There were lots of people at the party: Dr. Monroe, Jack, Daisy, Esther as well as other people.
The painting seemed to have every color of the rainbow: yellow, green, red, blue and orange.
Colons should not be used after "such as." Examples:
Incorrect: I want to see painting from all the famous artists such as: Cezanne, Renoir and Raphael.
Correct: I want to see paintings from all the famous artists such as Cezanne, Renoir and Raphael.
Incorrect: I think water conservation is more of a concern for states such as: Utah, Arizona and Nevada.
Correct: I think water conservation is more of a concern for states such as Utah, Arizona and Nevada.
4) Seperate an Independent Clause, such as a Quotation
A colon is used to help distinguish a sentence from a quotation.
Patrick Henry's words helped swing Virginian support towards the Revolution: "Give me liberty, or give me death."
The opening line from A Tale of Two Cities says it all: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."
People always say the same cliched phrase to me: "Life isn't fair."
5) Miscellaneous Use
There are other uses for colons, such separating chapter and verse in religious texts. Examples:
Genesis 1:30
Mark 3:5
Obadiah 1:8