Colon or not?
Hello Teachers,
#1 He looked at me closely before uttering one word: Thief.
#2 He looked at me closely before uttering one word. Thief.
With or without a colon? I feel if it's just one word, without a colon (#2) would be fine. Like your thoughts on this, please.
Thanks.
Top answer
anonymous With or without a colon? " The colon drives a tack with a sledgehammer. We all know without the colon that the next word is the one he uttered.
- anonymous With or without a colon?
- " The colon drives a tack with a sledgehammer.
- We all know without the colon that the next word is the one he uttered.
- Also, "thief" is a word as a word and takes quotation marks accordingly, which is convenient because it is actually dialogue.
- Besides, colons are ugly and intrusive, and they break the fourth wall, or at least rub against it.
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anonymousWith or without a colon?
Like this:
He looked at me closely before uttering one word, "Thief."
The colon drives a tack with a sledgehammer. We all know without the colon that the next word is the one he uttered. Also, "thief" is a word as a word and takes quotation marks accordingly, which is convenient because it is actually dialogue.
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