A colon (:) is a piece of punctuation used to signal that a list is coming. It’s important to remember that the words before the colon must be a complete thought. Look at this example:
We need three things for our craft project: a piece of wood, some paint, and a paintbrush.
Look at the words that come before the colon. Can you see that those words make a complete thought? We could leave off the rest of the sentence, and that first part would make sense all by itself.
Now look at the words after the colon. Those words are a series of items in list form. A colon usually warns the readers that a list is coming. Here are some more examples:
I’m hoping you can find these things at the hardware store: 1-inch nails, duct tape, and some wood glue.
These are the three best animals at the zoo: penguins, monkeys, and llamas.
We have four holidays during the school year: Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Presidents’ Day, and Memorial Day.
If you use a colon to signal a list, be sure to put a complete thought before the colon. A list of items comes after the colon.
▶Now you try it. Where in this sentence would you put a colon? I work three days next week Monday, Thursday, and Friday. Did you put the colon after the complete thought and before the list? Good for you!