A colon (:) is a useful piece of punctuation. One way to use a colon is at the beginning of a list. The secret to using the colon correctly with a list is to be sure that you write a complete thought before placing the colon.
Here is an example of a sentence with a list. The items milk, bread, and bananas are the words in the list.
In this sentence, the list is a smooth part of the sentence. The highlighted words before the list do not make a complete thought, so we do not use a colon.
Mom went to the store and bought milk, bread, and bananas.
Now, in this sentence, the words before the list are a complete thought.
Mom went to the store and bought three things: milk, bread, and bananas.
Notice that the highlighted words could stand alone as a sentence. When we use a complete thought before the start of a list, we must start the list with a colon.
Here are more examples of a sentence using a colon before a list. Notice that in each sentence, the words before the colon and the list make up a complete thought.
I have homework in four subjects tonight: math, English, history, and health.
My brother plays three sports in school: soccer, basketball, and baseball.
This summer, I will visit my two favorite countries: England and France.
Use a colon before a list if the words before the list make up a complete thought.
It’s your turn. Decide if this sentence needs a colon. I want to play softball, basketball, and volleyball. Did you realize that this sentence does not need a colon? Good for you!