The colon is mainly used to introduce a list. We also use it to explain or illustrate the sentence that comes before the colon. Think of it as a sign that replaces the following: which is, which are, and here is what I’m talking about. Read on to learn everything you need to know about this punctuation mark in detail.

Question: Should we capitalize the first word after the colon?

Answer: Never capitalize the word after a colon when it introduces a list of items.

Example:

When you go to the mall, don’t forget to buy three things: apples, a loaf of bread, and a pack of salt.

• If you are writing in the British style, you should capitalize it only if it’s a proper noun or an acronym, which are by the way always capitalized.

Examples:

1. We should invite two more people to the party: Ashley and Mark.
2. Bill Bryson once said, “There are three stages in scientific discovery: first, people deny that it is true. Then they deny that it is important. Finally, they credit the wrong person.”

• In the American style, it is also necessary to capitalize the proper nouns and acronyms following the colon; however, when it comes to complete sentences, The Chicago Manual of Style suggests that we should capitalize the first word only in the following cases:

1. The first word after the colon is a proper noun.
2. The colon introduces two or more sentences.
3. The colon introduces speech in dialogue, a quotation, or a question.

Examples:

1. I have only traveled to three countries: Italy, Germany, and France.
2.  I can only tell you one thing about her: art is her life.
3. Here is what you need to do to improve your writing skills: First, you should read lots of high-quality materials. Second, you need to write on a daily basis and get it evaluated by an expert.

Note: capitalize the first word of a complete sentence if it is a quotation even if it is only one sentence.

Example:

He gave me a piece of advice: “Your life is your responsibility.”

Now that you know when to capitalize the word following the colon, it’s time to talk about the colon’s uses.

Use the colon to introduce a list.

Example:

He speaks three languages: English, Spanish, and French.

Note: When the list is part of the flow of a sentence, you should not use a colon.

Example:

Incorrect: I need to shop for: vegetables, fruits, rice, and milk.

Correct: I need to shop for vegetables, fruits, rice, and milk.

Incorrect: During the safari, the tourists only saw: a pride of lions, a herd of zebras, and some vultures.

Correct: During the safari, the tourists only saw a pride of lions, a herd of zebras, and some vultures.

You can use a colon to separate two independent clauses/complete sentences if the second sentence is an explanation or a summary for the first.

Note: In these cases, you may think of the colon as a replacement for “and here is the explanation/summary.” This usage of the colon is similar to that of the semicolon. But keep in mind that both these punctuation marks should be used sparingly; otherwise, the flow of your writing will break.

Example:

“Life is like a box of chocolate: you never know what you’re gonna get.”

                                                                                             -Forest Gump

Use a hyphen when you want to include bullet points in your sentence.

Depending on the type of your bulleted text, you will need to use one of the following methods:

A list of continuous sentences:

When you come to the class, make sure to:

• bring your textbook;
• arrive before the teacher enters the class; and
• be prepared for the day’s topic.

A list of short points or items:

For our camping trip, we’ll need:

• a big tent
• lots of water
• a map, and
• some food.

If you don’t want to use colons for this, you can do this:

For our camping trip, we’ll need the following items.

• a big tent
• lots of water
• a map
• some food

You can use a colon when you want to emphasize a word or a phrase at the end of a sentence.

Note: The em dash is more common in these cases.

Example:

They finally decided what they wanted to name their baby: Emma.

Use a colon after the names of the speakers in dialogue.

Example:

Julia: What time is it?

Brian: I think it’s 2:30.

Use the colon to separate units of time (hours from minutes and minutes from seconds) and ratios.

Example:

1. Time: 2:15:37 expresses two hours, fifteen minutes, and thirty-seven seconds
2. Ratio: The ratio of nurses to doctors is 3:1 (three to one).

Use a colon to separate the title from subtitle.

Example:

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Note: Sometimes, the subtitles also have a colon. In such cases, change the second colon into a semicolon.

Example:

Incorrect: Retail Hell: How I Sold My Soul to the Store: Confessions of a Tortured Sales Associate by Freeman Hall

Correct: Retail Hell: How I Sold My Soul to the Store; Confessions of a Tortured Sales Associate by Freeman Hall

Use a colon after the salutation in a formal business letter even when you address them by their names.

Examples:

1. To whom it may concern:
2. Dear Mr. Smith:

I am writing you concerning a recent purchase…

Note: We use a comma after the salutation in less formal letters.

Use a colon to separate the volume from the page number of a work.

Example:

War and Peace 2:25-45

The book War and Peace has three volumes. In the example above, I am referring to the second volume, pages 25 to 45.

More on punctuation marks

Follow us on YouTube for more tips and resources.