Colons

Abstract

Importantly, the sentence that introduces the list must be a complete, independent sentence. Wrong 1. Please bring: pencils, paper, and erasers. 2. I subscribe to: Vogue, Newsweek, Esquire, and Ebony. 3. The author says: “The colon is often misused.” The error in each of these sentences is that the writer tries to use a colon after a group of words that does not form a complete, independent sentence. Right 1. Please bring pencils, paper, and erasers. OR 1. Please bring the following supplies: pencils, paper, and erasers. 2. I subscribe to Vogue, Newsweek, Esquire, and Ebony. OR 2. I subscribe to four magazines: Vogue, Newsweek, Esquire, and Ebony 3. The author says, “The colon is often misused.” OR 3. The author says important things about grammar: “The colon is often misused.”