Title: READ: Colons
Course: English 9 (B)

Colons

This week, you will learn more about colons, which you might recognize as ":". Note that colons are different from semi-colons or ";". The difference between the two will be explained later.

Colons are used in the following ways:
1. Business salutations
2. Time
3. At the beginning of a list
4. Separate an independent clause
5. 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) Separate 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

Additional Information

Examples of colon use
http://www.mccc.edu/students/tutoring/colon.html

When to use a colon
http://lilt.ilstu.edu/golson/punctuation/colon.html
Sources

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/marks/colon.htm
http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/StudyZone/410/grammar/colons.htm