This would include: not using the colon correct, people not understanding..

Question

I've noticed that people are using the colon when creating a list of things. However, I don't know if they are using the colon in the way it's suppose to be used.

Family involvement must reach out to include: mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, grandparents, neighbors, and other persons who have important roles in the lives of people with disabilities.

I've noticed this uses the colon after "include."
However, isn't this usage incorrect?
Is the colon suppose to be there at all?

Shouldn't it be worded like this:

Family involvement must reach out to include mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, grandparents, neighbors, and other persons who have important roles in the lives of people with disabilities.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

I have seen it used that way too. It is wrong: a colon should not intervene between the verb and its object. A correct use of the colon would be:

Family involvement must reach out to include a number of people: mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, grandparents, neighbors, and other persons who have important roles in the lives of people with disabilities.

Your way is fine, too, of course-- and is the one I would choose as being the most straightforward.

Ghost Writer · Answer

Yes, but didn't you just use it incorrectly, too?

A correct use of the colon would be:

Would this be better?

A correct use of the colon:

Mister Micawber · Answer

Yes. A bad habit I seem to have adopted to set off examples in separate lines in forum postings. I'll have to watch that, thanks. Perhaps I'll go to m-dashes:

A correct use of the colon would be--

This would include: not using the colon correct, people not understanding..

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