:

THE COLON

Hello!

FAMILY
GIDEON CHOGE
645738
STEVE MUSEBE
646588
GRACE BILLOH
643253
SHANKAI NTUTU
646118

The
Colon :
The Colon has the following primary uses :
1.To indicate the introduction of a series of items or to name a list.
clause

2.Used between two independent clauses where the second

explains or elaborates further on the original clause.

3.To introduce a long quotation within a paragraph.

4.After salutation in formal letters

It is important to note that a colon

and a semicolon are not
interchangeably used.

To introduce a
list

The chef posted these meals on

the menu: barbeque chicken
,fried salmon, roasted ribs and
mashed potatoes.

Mary wants to visit the following

cities: Prague, Windhoek
,Dresden and Mombasa.

Between two
clauses

Lupita Nyongos speech at the

Oscars was emotional: it brought
me to tears.

Serena Williams is the queen of

tennis: she just won her
twentieth title.

To introduce a long
quote
At some point in our lives we feel so
defeated we can empathize with Hamlets
words:To be ,or not to be, that is the
question Whether tis nobler in the mind to
suffer
The Slings and Arrows of outrageous
Fortune,
Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them: to die, to sleep
No more; and by a sleep
(Shakespeare,1603)

After salutations,
formal writing
Dear Chancellor:
I am writing to inform
you that 4,500

Dear President:
The status of the
Kenyan economy is
alarmingly

Some Donts

Do not capitalize words following a colon in a

list unless it is a proper noun.

Do not use a colon directly after a verb or

preposition.

Do not use a colon and semicolon

interchangeably.

Do not kill.

Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find me at:
dfinney@usiu.ac.ke