The temperature of the fridge is important: if it is not at the right temperature, food will spoil.
The temperature of the fridge is important: If it is not at the right temperature, food will spoil (see AP Style below).
A complete sentence (a complete independent clause) precedes a series.
We wanted to visit three cities in Quebec: Montreal, Laval, and Sherbrooke.
AP Style allows a fragment to precede a list.
A complete sentence (a complete independent clause) precedes a series.
We wanted to visit three cities in Quebec: Montreal, Laval, and Sherbrooke.
AP Style allows a fragment to precede a list.
Three cities in Quebec are: Montreal, Laval and Sherbrooke.
When a colon introduces a series or sentence, the word after the colon is lowercase, unless it is a proper noun (a particular person, place, or thing).
You can pick her up from the doctor: she got a clean bill of health.
When a colon introduces a series or sentence, the word after the colon is lowercase, unless it is a proper noun (a particular person, place, or thing).
You can pick her up from the doctor: she got a clean bill of health.
You can pick her up from the doctor: Barbara got a clean bill of health.
AP Style capitalizes the first word after a colon if what follows is a complete sentence.
You can pick her up from the doctor: She got a clean bill of health.
AP Style capitalizes the first word after a colon if what follows is a complete sentence.
You can pick her up from the doctor: She got a clean bill of health.
Colons are used to introduce a quotation within a paragraph or a block quote (for quotes more than forty [40] words or four [4] lines).
John Lennon once observed: “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”
AP Style prefers a comma for one-sentence quotations.
John Lennon once observed, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”
A colon sits outside of a quote, unless the colon is a part of a quote cited.
Martin yelled to the crowd: “Shut up!”
"Martin yelled to the crowd, 'Shut up!'" he said.
A colon is used to separate a title from a subtitle. The first word of the subtitle is capitalized.
God’s Existence: Convincing and Converging Proofs
A colon is used for time, biblical citations, and legal citations.
John Lennon once observed: “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”
AP Style prefers a comma for one-sentence quotations.
John Lennon once observed, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”
A colon sits outside of a quote, unless the colon is a part of a quote cited.
Martin yelled to the crowd: “Shut up!”
"Martin yelled to the crowd, 'Shut up!'" he said.
A colon is used to separate a title from a subtitle. The first word of the subtitle is capitalized.
God’s Existence: Convincing and Converging Proofs
A colon is used for time, biblical citations, and legal citations.
1:30 p.m. Jn. 3:17 Florida Code 3:350-378
A colon is used for ratios.
2:1
AP Style, however, uses hyphens: 2-to-1.
A colon can be used for a direct address. A colon is considered more formal than a comma.
Dear John,
Dear John:
Colons can be used in dialogues.
Bob: What are you talking about?
Dave: I’m not sure!
Q: What color do you see?
A: I see blue.
Colons can be used in dialogues.
Bob: What are you talking about?
Dave: I’m not sure!
Q: What color do you see?
A: I see blue.
