Colons in references


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Colons can be used to divide the parts of references, titles and times.

Colons as Dividers

Colons are useful to divide the parts of references, titles and times. (They often make better separators than the alternative punctuation marks.)

Examples:

Learn Chapter XIV: Section 4: Paragraph 6 by tomorrow.

(commas could be used too)

Have you read "Mars: The Landing"?

(The author opted to use a colon, but could have used a dash.)

The alarm clock is set for 07:30.

(0730 and 07.30 are also correct)

See also:

How to use colons to extend sentences
Using colons for introductions
Colons with bullet points
Colons with quotations

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