Colon to extend a sentence
 

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A colon can be used to extend a sentence.
 

1. 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" or, as 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 lesson "Extend a Sentence")
 
Associated lessons:
 
Colons in references
Using colons for introductions
Colons with bullet points
Colons with quotations
 
 

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