Colons before Lists and Bullet Points
Using a Colon before a List
A colon can be used to introduce:- A list in sentence style.
- A vertical list (such as a numbered list or a list of bullet points).
Using a Colon before a List in Sentence Style
When using a colon to introduce a list in sentence style, the introduction itself (i.e., the text before the colon), should be an independent clause to justify the colon. For example:- The winners were: Janet, John, and Michael. (In this example, "The winners were" is not an independent clause, so the colon is not justified.)
- The winners were the following: Janet, John, and Michael. (This time, "The winners were the following" is an independent clause, so the colon is justified. Writers often question whether adding "the following" creates an independent clause. Well, from a grammatical perspective, it does.)
- The demonstrative determiners are: "this," "that," "these," and "those." (In this example, the colon is not justified.)
- Here are the demonstrative determiners: "this," "that," "these," and "those." (This time, with an independent clause as the introduction, the colon is justified.)
Using a Colon before a Vertical List (e.g., Bullet Points)
When a vertical list (like bullet points) is being introduced, there is far more leniency on whether the introduction needs to be an independent clause. For example:
John has organized the following events:
- Egg-and-spoon race.
- Toss the pancake.
- Apple bobbing.
John has organized:
- Egg-and-spoon race.
- Toss the pancake.
- Apple bobbing.
Not a Semicolon!
You can't introduce a list - any list - with a semicolon. For example:- The winners were the following; Janet, John, and Michael.
- Here are the demonstrative determiners; "this," "that," "these," and "those."
John has organized the following events;
- Egg-and-spoon race.
- Toss the pancake.
- Apple bobbing.
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