Colons
Rules for Using Colons
Use colons to introduce bulleted lists.
Example
Pack the following before heading out on a hike:
- Maps
- Water
- Trail mix
Use colons when emphasizing a key point or illustrating the opening part of a sentence. Capitalize the first word after the colon if what follows the colon is a complete sentence.
Example
Users beware: Our system has a tendency to end sessions spontaneously.
Sarah’s cookies have the perfect ingredients: sugar and butter.
Use colons to introduce long quotations. When doing so, colons should be placed outside the quotation marks.
Example
Kristen said: "I don't enjoy the feeling of waking up every morning with a stuffed head and inflamed sinuses. Even though I miss eating sugar, it's worth it just to be able to breathe."