Improve Your Writing: Use Colons!

I rarely see colons in my students' work. Since it is a very handy mark and one that shows a higher level understanding of punctuation, I advise you to learn to use it well.

Colons are useful marks. One thing you can do with a colon: emphasize something! We also need it when we make a list. Here are three good punctuation marks we can use to improve our writing: the colon, the semicolon and the dash.

Remember, use such marks sparingly. Too many colons are like too much salt. Not very tasty! For more information see The Guide to Grammar and Writing: The Colon

 

See our most recent tips.

Tips from November 2001 to April 2002

Tips from September 2000 to October 2001.

Tips from January to August 2000
Tips from January to December 1999