by Craig Shrives
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- Printable & Sendable Test
- Anna looked up and said, "It's true. Her scatty dog ate the office key."
- Her performance proved beyond all doubt that she was "simply the best."
- The sign clearly states, "Thieves will be prosecuted."
In creative writing especially, writers are free to choose to achieve their desired flow of text. In more formal writing, however, punctuation is expected after an introduction for a quotation. The rules are quite lax. Below is some general guidance:
- The guides always gave the same advice: "Leave them alone, and they will leave you alone."
- The prisoner uttered: "Leave me alone."
- She said, "tomorrow, definitely tomorrow."
- Granddad looked at me over the top of his glasses and said, "I've seen it all and done it all. I just don't remember any of it."
- Paul looked over the hedge and shouted: "You can keep half of the strawberries you pick."
- "You can keep half of the strawberries you pick," shouted Paul, looking over the hedge.
- I believe there really is "no place like home."
- I believe there really is, "no place like home."
- If this is the "best skiing resort in France," I would hate to see the worst.
- If this is the, "best skiing resort in France," I would hate to see the worst.
- She said the following: "Janet, erratic; James, bossy; and Tony, meek."
- She said: "Janet, erratic; James, bossy; and Tony, meek." (With this version, the colon cannot be justified.)
The strongest rule is the following one: Use a colon after an introduction that is an independent clause.
Quotation marks are not used for reported speech. (Reported speech is usually preceded by the word "that.") Only use quotation marks for actual quotations of speech or writing. Look at these similar examples:- The secretary said, "The phones are dead."
- The secretary said that the phones were dead.
- The secretary said that "the phones were dead."
- The secretary said that the phones were "dead."
- Edmund said, "I am a good boy."
- Edmund said that "he was a good boy".
- Edmund said that he was a good boy.
- Edmund said that he was a "good boy."
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Rule 1: Use the colon after a complete sentence to introduce a list of items when introductory words such as namely, for example, or that is do not apply or are not appropriate.
Examples:
You may be required to bring many items: sleeping bags, pans, and warm clothing.
I want the following items: butter, sugar, and flour.
I want an assistant who can do the following: (1) input data, (2) write reports, and (3) complete tax forms.
Rule 2: A colon usually does not precede a list unless it follows a complete sentence.
Examples:
To be successful in sales, one should do the following: (a) dress appropriately, (b) ask customers about their needs, and (c) follow through.
To be successful in sales, one should (a) dress appropriately, (b) ask customers about their needs, and (c) follow through.
Rule 3: With tabular format, a colon customarily precedes a list. If the introductory statement is a complete sentence and the listed items are complete sentences as well, the listed items are capitalized and punctuated as complete sentences.
Examples:
To be successful in sales, one should do the following:
(a) Dress appropriately.
(b) Ask customers about their needs.
(c) Follow through.
If the listed items are each a separate completion of the introductory statement, the listed items are punctuated accordingly and are not capitalized.
To be successful in sales, one should:
(a) dress appropriately.
(b) ask customers about their needs.
(c) follow through.
It is also acceptable to use and before the last phrase, making the listed items a continuation of the introductory statement. As continuations, they would be punctuated with commas and not capitalized.
To be successful in sales, one should:
(a) dress appropriately,
(b) ask customers about their needs, and
(c) follow through.
Note:
Similar treatment can be applied to single words or phrases in list form, including bullets, or numbers. The rule of thumb is to be consistent.
To be successful in sales, one should:
dress appropriately,
ask customers about their needs, and
follow through.
To be successful in sales, one should:
• dress appropriately.
• ask customers about their needs.
• follow through.
Note: With lists, you may use periods after numbers and letters instead of parentheses.
For our meeting on Tuesday, please:
a. e-mail the agenda to me by Monday afternoon.
b. call me 15 minutes before the meeting is set to begin.
c. distribute the notes to all the board members after the meeting.
Pop Quiz Add punctuation if needed. 1. The following are required (a) wet suits, (b) fins, (c) snorkels.
2. Please bring (a) wet suits, (b) fins, and (c) snorkels.
Pop Quiz Answers
1. The following are required: (a) wet suits, (b) fins, (c) snorkels.
2. Please bring (a) wet suits, (b) fins, and (c) snorkels. (CORRECT)
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