Colons
Unlike the semicolon, which separates two clauses of equal
importance, a colon separates two
clauses of unequal importance. Do not use the colon
directly after a verb or preposition. Instead, use it at the
end of a main clause.
Use colons to
- introduce a series of
items.
Britney Spears has released three albums
since the beginning of her career:
Baby One More
Time, Oops!...I Did It Again, and Britney.
- introduce a long
quotation.
In a 2000 Billboard article, Val Azzoli, co-CEO of the
Atlantic Group (The Corrs' record label) in New York, explained
the obstacles that The Corrs have faced in the United
States: "Radio isn't as
important in the rest of the world as it is in America for this
type of artist. Here, they're the gatekeepers..."
- explain something.
Basque is a complicated language: it has no linguistic affiliation.
- separate titles and
subtitles
In Diana Kendall's book, Sociology In Our Times: The Essentials...
Every year, Arbitron publishes Radio Today: How America Listens to
Radio.