Connecting the Dots: Common Colon Blunders

Colons are used for one primary purpose: highlighting or introducing an essential fact or list.

And why might you want to introduce a list or fact? The answer: readability. When listing nouns in a sentence, it's generally easier to list no more than three things (e.g., milk, eggs, and fabric softener.) Add more to your list, and the reader can get lost.?

That is, unless you use a colon, which tells the reader, "A list is coming so please pay attention," or "Here's a single, but vital fact."

How do we misuse colons? Let me count the ways:

1. Misplacing the colon: A colon should always follow a complete sentence or independent clause. It is used to introduce something directly related to the preceding material. A common mistake is using a colon after a fragment or dependent clause.
2. Using colons with conjunctions or prepositions: It's incorrect to use a colon after a conjunction (like "and", "or", "but") or a preposition ("of", "in", "with", etc.). For instance, "He enjoys: reading, swimming, and biking" is incorrect. The correct usage would be "He enjoys reading, swimming, and biking".
3. Double punctuation: Sometimes, writers use a colon immediately after another punctuation mark (like a question mark or an exclamation point), which is incorrect. For instance, "What do you like: apples or oranges?" should simply be "What do you like, apples or oranges?"
4. Double-spacing after a colon: This one is more of a style choice. Many of us of a certain age were taught to always use two spaces after colons and periods. However, according to the Chicago Manual of Style, we should only use one.
5. Overuse of colons: Colons are powerful punctuation marks that can emphasize or highlight the following information. However, overuse can lead to confusion and make a piece of writing seem cluttered or unclear.
6. Using a colon for a direct quote: Colons are not used to introduce direct quotes that are incorporated into a sentence. For instance, "She said: "I'm not going," is incorrect. A comma should be used instead.
7. Improper list introductions: When introducing a list with a colon, the introduction should be a complete sentence. For instance, "The fruits I like are: apples, bananas, and cherries" is incorrect. The correct form is "I like the following fruits: apples, bananas, and cherries."

PRO TIP: If you have more than three or four items in a list, you're better off using numbers or bullets to make them easier to read.?

Chris Pawar

P.S. Sometimes, even expert marketers need the help of a writer. If that sounds like you, feel free to message me here on LinkedIn!

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