How do you use colons in a list?

How do you use colons in a list?

Rule 1: Use the colon after a complete sentence to introduce a list of items when introductory words such as namely, for example, or that is do not apply or are not appropriate. Examples: You may be required to bring many items: sleeping bags, pans, and warm clothing.

When listing things do you use a colon or semicolon?

Semicolons separate items within a list, while a colon precedes and introduces a list. He took three things on the hike; his lunch, his binoculars, and his trusty walking stick. He took three things on the hike: his lunch, his binoculars, and his trusty walking stick.

What is the correct punctuation when listing?

There are three punctuation marks involved in making a list in a sentence: the comma, colon, and semicolon. Which you use depends on how complex your list is. If you are writing a simple list, you can just insert a comma after each item.

How do you punctuate a list after a colon?

When listing items one by one, one per line, following a colon, capitalization and ending punctuation are optional when using single words or phrases preceded by letters, numbers, or bullet points. If each point is a complete sentence, capitalize the first word and end the sentence with appropriate ending punctuation.

What are some examples of colons?

Colons in Sentences

• There are two choices at this time: run away or fight.
• We knew who would win the game: the Eagles.
• He wanted to see three cities in Italy: Rome, Florence, and Venice.
• Here are three states that begin with M: Michigan, Mississippi, and Maine.

When listing Do you use a semicolon?

Listing items Semicolons can be used to link items in a list, such as objects, locations, names and descriptions. Where the list items already contain commas, a semicolon helps avoid confusion between the items; in this way the semicolon acts like a ‘super comma’.

When listing Do you use a comma or semicolon?

Usually, we use a comma to separate three items or more in a list. However, if one or more of these items contain commas, then you should use a semicolon, instead of a comma, to separate the items and avoid potential confusion.

What is a colon used for?

A colon is used to give emphasis, present dialogue, introduce lists or text, and clarify composition titles. Emphasis—Capitalize the first word after the colon only if it is a proper noun or the start of a complete sentence. (She had one love: Western Michigan University.)

How do you write a proper list?

Format for Lists

1. Use a colon to introduce the list items only if a complete sentence precedes the list.
2. Use both opening and closing parentheses on the list item numbers or letters: (a) item, (b) item, etc.
3. Use either regular Arabic numbers or lowercase letters within the parentheses, but use them consistently.

How do you punctuate a list in a list?

Punctuation is used to separate the items in the list. The usual way of doing this is to place a comma after each item in the list: The school has a vegetable garden in which the children grow cabbages, onions, potatoes, and carrots. The last item in a list is often preceded by the words and or or.

What are the colons?

The colon is also known as the large bowel or large intestine. It is an organ that is part of the digestive system (also called the digestive tract) in the human body. The digestive system is the group of organs that allow us to eat and to use the food we eat to fuel our bodies.

When to use a colon before a list?

Use a colon before a series or list only if the words that introduce the list make up a complete sentence: To make a cake you need a few basic ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, milk, flour, leavener, and salt. If the words before the colon do not constitute a sentence, do not use a colon:

When do you use a semicolon in a list?

A semicolon creates more separation between thoughts than a comma does but less than a period does. Here are the two most common uses of the semicolon: 1. To help separate items in a list, when some of those items already contain commas.

When to use a colon after a sentence?

Rule 1: Use the colon after a complete sentence to introduce a list of items when introductory words such as namely, for example, or that is do not apply or are not appropriate. You may be required to bring many items: sleeping bags, pans, and warm clothing. I want the following items: butter, sugar, and flour.

When do you use a colon in MLA format?

No punctuation is needed when the quotation is integrated into the syntax of your prose: Nabokov writes that life is “a brief crack of light between two eternities of darkness.” See the MLA Handbook 1.3.2 on using a colon to introduce block quotations.