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Anonymous Posted 11 years ago
Grammar
Colon and And
Hello. I have two questions.
In the following sentence, is the colon usage wrong? Should I take it off?
Examples of food that may improve one's health include: cabbage, carrot, and peas; banana, apple, and orange; rice, corn, and wheat.
Second question: I have written three series; do I have to put an "and" before the last item of each of them or may I put only one "and", in the final series (. . . and wheat)?
Thank you!
In the following sentence, is the colon usage wrong? Should I take it off?
Examples of food that may improve one's health include: cabbage, carrot, and peas; banana, apple, and orange; rice, corn, and wheat.
Second question: I have written three series; do I have to put an "and" before the last item of each of them or may I put only one "and", in the final series (. . . and wheat)?
Thank you!
Top answer
Don't separate your verb from its object with a colon. Use the expression "the following" if you wish to set off your list with a colon. I understand that your triples of food are grouped by category -- vegetables, fruit, and cereals.
- Don't separate your verb from its object with a colon.
- Use the expression "the following" if you wish to set off your list with a colon.
- I understand that your triples of food are grouped by category -- vegetables, fruit, and cereals.
- But you'll need more than punctuation to make that point.
- " makes it look like you think the royal personages were in the band.
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4 Answers
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Don't separate your verb from its object with a colon. Use the expression "the following" if you wish to set off your list with a colon.
I understand that your triples of food are grouped by category -- vegetables, fruit, and cereals. But you'll need more than punctuation to make that point.
When you make a list, you may omit the last comma, as long as you're careful not to run
I understand that your triples of food are grouped by category -- vegetables, fruit, and cereals. But you'll need more than punctuation to make that point.
When you make a list, you may omit the last comma, as long as you're careful not to run
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Thank you very much for the detailed answer. I have found the following examples in the MLA's manual.*
"The reading list includes three Latin American novels: The Death of Artemio Cruz, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and The Green House." (p. 71)
BUT
"The novels on the reading list include The Death of Artemio Cruz, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and The Green House." (
"The reading list includes three Latin American novels: The Death of Artemio Cruz, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and The Green House." (p. 71)
BUT
"The novels on the reading list include The Death of Artemio Cruz, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and The Green House." (
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AnonymousIt seems to be a rule, right?It's a rule if you are writing for a publication whose editors insist that MLA guidelines be adhered to.
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Thank you for the reply, fivejedjon.
So I suppose that not every book or manual on style agree about that, right?
I have looked at the APA's manual. It presents a similar rule, though.
My mother tongue is Portuguese, in which it is quite common to use a colon in cases such as "The novels on the reading list include The Death of Artemio Cruz, One Hundred Years of Solitude
So I suppose that not every book or manual on style agree about that, right?
I have looked at the APA's manual. It presents a similar rule, though.
My mother tongue is Portuguese, in which it is quite common to use a colon in cases such as "The novels on the reading list include The Death of Artemio Cruz, One Hundred Years of Solitude
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