Plain English

by Marian Wharton

RULES FOR THE USE OF THE COLON

512. The colon is not used as much as it formerly was. The comma and the semi-colon and the period are now used in most of the places where older writers used the colon.

One authority in English says that, "in strict logic the colon is to the sentence in which it is used what the mark of equality is in mathematics."

513. The colon is used before a formal list of items. For example:

• Economics has three important divisions: production, distribution, consumption.

514. The colon is used after a salutation at the beginning of a letter. For example: Dear Sir: Gentlemen: Comrades:

In such cases the dash is also frequently used with the colon. For example: My dear Sir:— Gentlemen:— Comrades:—

515. The colon is more often used instead of the semi-colon after such expressions as, thus: as follows: the following: for example: etc.

The colon is also used to separate a series of sentences which are explanatory of the main clause. For example:

• The People's College has two great aims: the first is to bring education within the reach of every worker; the second is to teach from the viewpoint of the working class.
• We were advised to proceed thus: first, to be systematic in our work; second, to concentrate; third, to go slowly and surely; and last of all, to think for ourselves.