Which Sentence Contains A List That Is Punctuated Correctly

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.

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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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63 responses to “Colons with Lists”

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