1 / 7

Using a colon with a list

…not just the eyeballs on your text message face!. : ). Using a colon with a list. L.5.2a: Use punctuation to separate items in a series. When To Use a Colon #1. Before a list or an explanation that is preceded by a clause that can stand by itself.

saima
Download Presentation

Using a colon with a list

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. …not just the eyeballs on your text message face! : ) Using a colon with a list L.5.2a: Use punctuation to separate items in a series.

  2. When To Use a Colon #1 • Before a list or an explanation that is preceded by a clause that can stand by itself. • If you took off the list, and the preceding clause can NOT stand alone, then you should NOT be using a colon.

  3. EXAMPLE • The charter review now includes the following people: the mayor, the chief of police, the fire chief, and the chair of the Town Council. • MAIN CLAUSE: • The charter review now includes the following people: • LIST THAT FOLLOWS MAIN CLAUSE: • the mayor, the chief of police, the fire chief, and the chair of the Town Council.

  4. EXAMPLE #1 • Her recipe for gunpowder included saltpeter, dry oatmeal, and ground-up charcoal. • no colon after "included“ because “Her recipe for gunpowder included” cannot stand on its own! • How can you fix it so that you CAN use a colon? • Her recipe for gunpowder included the following: …

  5. EXAMPLE #2 • His favorite breakfast cereals were Rice Krispies, Cheerios, and Wheaties. • no colon after "were“ because “His favorite breakfast cereals were” cannot stand on its own.

  6. Let’s Practice! YES! • Which of the following is correct? • The Question • A) The potion contained: fruit, biscuits, and glue. • B) The potion contained fruit, biscuits, and glue. • C)The potion: contained fruit, biscuits, and glue. • The Answer • B) The potion contained fruit, biscuits, and glue. • The Explanation • The phrase before the colon cannot stand alone. Therefore, there should be no colon!

  7. Let’s Practice! • Which of these is correct? • The Question • a) Mankind has only one choice left stop burning fossil fuel. • b) Mankind has only one choice left, stop burning fossil fuel. • c) Mankind has only one choice left: stop burning fossil fuel. • The Answer • c) Mankind has only one choice left: stop burning fossil fuel. • The Explanation • The clause before the colon can stand alone. The words after the colon further explain the “one choice.”

More Related