Use a Colon: Make a List, Note What Follows

What is a Colon?

Although rarely used compared to commas and semicolons, a colon (:) is convenient for listing items, words, or phrases. A colon is written like a stack of two periods and can be read as “note what follows.”

How to Use a Colon:

Here’s a quick guide on how to use a colon: 

1. Use a colon before a series of items, especially after phrases like as follows or the following.

• Joey’s favorite food is as follows: sandwich, pizza, and baked macaroni and cheese.
• This is my schedule on Sunday: morning jog around the village, online meeting at lunchtime, and virtual church fellowship in the evening.

NOTE: Do not capitalize the words following the colon, unless it’s a proper noun or another independent clause or sentence. 

• My favorite colors are as follows: pink, teal, and yellow.
• Isabel was faced with a challenge: Ask for financial help from the man who betrayed her.

2. Use a colon after an independent clause for emphasis or clarification. 

• His mother loves decorating the house: She studied interior design in college.

NOTE: Use a colon to introduce a quotation after an independent clause.

• He was reminded of his favorite Bible verse: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” [The colon that introduced a quote is interchangeable with a comma. It’s up to you which to use.]
• She remembers what his Philosophy professor always says: Choice is an illusion. [Here, a comma in place of the colon is not an option.] 

Related Reading: Quotation Marks – Separating Words & Phrases

3. Use a colon to separate items when writing the time and after the salutation of a formal letter.

• I expect him to arrive before 4:30 P.M. 
• Dear Ms. Marcelo:

Practice:

Insert the necessary colon or colons in each sentence:

1. I cannot attend the 8 30 A.M. and 2 30 P.M. workshop. 
2. Here are my favorite sitcoms Friends, The Big Bag Theory, and Brooklyn 99. 
3. When asked about love, he usually quotes Paulo Coelho “One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.”
4. She has read a lot of books, including the following Flowers for Algernon, Angels and Demons, and The Lovely Bones.
5. Here’s what you can drink other than water tea, coffee, fruit shake, and beer.

Answers:

1. I cannot attend the 8:30 A.M. and 2:30 P.M. workshop. 
2. Here are my favorite sitcoms: Friends, The Big Bang Theory, and Brooklyn 99. 
3. When asked about love, he usually quotes Paulo Coelho: “One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.”
4. She has read a lot of books, including the following: Flowers for Algernon, Angels and Demons, and The Lovely Bones.
5. Here’s what you can drink other than water: tea, coffee, fruit shake, and beer.

Thank you for reading. We hope it’s effective! Always feel free to revisit this page if you ever have any questions about how to use a colon.

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