University of Louisville

The Colon: Path ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: to New Information

Hanifah’s lunch sandwiches are made of simple ingredients: crushed, blended wheat, crushed blended peanuts, and crushed, blended grapes.

DeWayne’s favorite historical novel begins by quoting a Pikeville voter about President Nguyen’s 2012 campaign: “Talent, hard work, and new ideas won me over” (1).

Over the summer vacation, Brittany and Kevin earned money by walking pampered pets: pugs were friendly, Chihuahuas were nervous, and mutts were grateful.

COLON CONNECTION:  Colons connect complete sentences to lists of ideas or other complete sentences that writers seek to emphasize.

Judge Gutierrez weighed the facts in the case before she came to a conclusion: Johnson was guilty.

Scanning IDs is simpler if you use a pattern: name forward, face up, and magnetic strip down.

Albino squirrels, cave bats, and cardinals have one thing in common: Kentucky as a habitat.

COLON CONNECTION:  In citing journal article titles or book titles and in college paper assignments, colons link the title to a subtitle that adds to the meaning.

Chang, Y. S., & di Tomaso, E., McDonald, D.M., Jones, R., et al. (2000). Mosaic blood vessels in tumors: Frequency of cancer cells in contact with flowing blood. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Washington, 97 (26), 14608-14630.

Krieger, Susan. Things No Longer There: A Memoir of Losing Sight and Finding Vision. Madison: UP Wisconsin-Terrance Books, 2005.

What I Did on My Summer Vacation: A Long Series of Sunburns

COLON CONNECTION:  Colons follow the greeting in formal letters such as those addressed to business professionals, administrators, or unknown persons.

Vice-President of Quality Assurance:

To Whom It May Concern:

President Ramsey:

COLON CONNECTION:  Colons separate the hours and minutes whether in a common expression of time, in a specific time zone, or in military time.

12:12 PM       7:07 AM EST         22:00 Hours

: : : : : : : : : : : : :

The Colon:

The colon introduces the information that follows it.

COMMON COLON CONNECTIONS

Colons connect complete sentences to lists.

Colons link the title to a subtitle that adds to the meaning.

Colons help a reader move from a complete thought to an

explanation.