Use Colons to Point to What Comes Next
Text followed by a colon often introduces examples or a list of bullet points or some other series that does not look like ordinary paragraphed writing:
- Hillel posed three questions:
- “If I am not for myself, who will be for me?”
- “If I am only for myself, what am I?”
- “If not now, when?”
Colons can also be used in a similar way within paragraphs and sentences. The text following a colon can be a complete sentence, several sentences, or a phrase:
This is worth remembering: patience is a virtue.
After finishing the marathon, she wanted only one thing: to lie down.
Do not use a colon where the words alone make the meaning clear:
The members of the class include: Drina, Gabriela, Phil, Roger, and Sandra.
When you introduce a quotation of two or more full sentences, it is best to use a colon:
Hillel also said: “What is hateful to you do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah. The rest is commentary.”