Colons 1

Colons

Colons are a pretty versatile piece of punctuation. Their main job is to amplify.

Open Ended

So...what does that mean--to amplify?

So, when you are using a colon, most of the time you are taking an idea and expanding it.

So, let's practice with taking one idea and amplifying it by using a colon.

After weeks of thinking, Mrs. Beam finally found the perfect Christmas adventure for her children.

So, what was it?

After weeks of thinking, Mrs. Beam finally found the perfect Christmas adventure for her children: camping.

Could this have been written another way? Yes, of course.

After weeks of thinking, Mrs. Beam finally found the perfect Christmas adventure for her children. She took them camping.

After weeks of thinking, Mrs. Beam decide to take her children camping over Christmas break.

Mrs. Beam, after weeks of thinking, finally decided that the perfect Christmas adventure for her children would be camping.

All those (and probably several other ways, too) are correct. Why bother with using a colon?

Style.

Using a colon shows you've moved beyond the basics. Is it always appropriate? No. Do you have to? No. But, it adds tone and voice to your writing and gives you one more way to bring emphasis to your ideas.

Even though you don't have to use it in your writing, its proper use will show up on tests.

Let's practice.

We'll start with amplifying the idea by adding just one clarifying statement.

Multiple Select

When he didn't win the most-improved award, he decided only one thing would help: enrolling in APEC.

• Correct

• Incorrect

Multiple Select

This year, my goal is a simple one: never miss an assignment.

• correct

• incorrect

Multiple Select

Without even looking at a menu, I could tell just by stepping out into the hallway what would be for lunch: fried chicken.

• correct

• incorrect

Multiple Select

I couldn't wait to drive my dream car: my dad's 1984 Nissan Turbo 300ZX.

• correct

• incorrect

Open Ended

Choose one of the previous sentences to rewrite as your own. Use the colon to introduce your "amplified" idea.

Open Ended

Write your own sentence using a colon to amplify an idea.