Colon to extend a sentence

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A colon can be used to extend a sentence.

Extend a Sentence with a Colon

You can use a colon to introduce words that offer a more detailed version of something previously mentioned in the sentence.

Examples:

The cat's fur was found in two rooms: the bedroom and the kitchen.

His success is attributed to one thing: determination.

He will be the winner of Loughborough's oldest award: the Arthur Scotland
Trophy.

Ian had caught 3 fish: a perch and 2 gudgeon.

No one believed Janice: she often exaggerated.

should be ...party; she was determined...
or ...party. She was determined...
(joke on a beer mat)

IT'S JUST LIKE AN EQUALS SIGN

Many people like to think of the colon as an equals sign. In the examples to the left:

two rooms = bedroom and kitchen

one thing = determination

the oldest award = the Authur Scotland Trophy

The phrase after the colon is an 'equal phrase'. It is also known, an 'appositive phrase' to something mentioned before the colon.

NOT A COLON

When a slight break is preferable to new sentence, you should use a semicolon and not colon.

John fumbled for the keyhole: the street lights had failed again.

No one was seriously hurt in the accident; one man broke his index
finger.

See the lesson Extend a Sentence.

Associated lessons:

Colons in references
Using colons for introductions
Colons with bullet points
Colons with quotations
Semicolon to extend a sentence