IXL | Use colons and commas to introduce lists, quotations, and appositives

Insert a punctuation mark (if needed) to introduce the list in bold.

Across the country, engineering students have created some impressive new products, such as IncuBaby, a low-cost incubator; Go Ramp, a wheelchair with its own ramp; and ChemSense, a handheld spectrometer that detects airborne pollutants and other chemicals.

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Learn with an example

question

Insert a punctuation mark (if needed) to introduce the list in bold.

A variety of factors can make some people more likely to be bitten by mosquitos than others blood type, skin bacteria, metabolism, exercise, pregnancy, clothing color, and genetics.

key idea

A colon is typically used to introduce an element that explains, defines, or illustrates what came before. Colons almost always follow a stand-alone sentence.

Use a colon to introduce a list that follows a stand-alone sentence. Do not use punctuation to introduce a list if it does not follow a stand-alone sentence.

My parents have visited much of Western Europe: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain.

My parents have visited much of Western Europe, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain.

Use a colon to introduce a quotation that follows a stand-alone sentence. (Some style guides consider it acceptable to introduce any quotation with a colon, but if the quotation does not follow a stand-alone sentence, a comma is usually a better choice.)

In his introduction, Jeong claims that most prior research in this area is unreliable: "These oft-cited studies had small sample sizes and lacked control groups."

In his introduction, Jeong claims, "Most of these oft-cited studies had small sample sizes and lacked control groups."

Use a comma or a colon to introduce a nonrestrictive appositive that comes at the end of a sentence. These appositives always follow a stand-alone sentence. A comma is typically used, but a colon may sometimes be a better choice in order to create emphasis or a dramatic effect.

Last Halloween I dressed up as my favorite superhero, Superman.

As he flew closer, we recognized the man soaring through the air: Superman.

Use a colon after a phrase like this, the following, or as follows if the phrase refers to what comes after the colon.

Senator Thompson had this to say about the controversy: "I maintain that the bill is unjust and must not pass into law."

You must use only the following materials: newspaper, popsicle sticks, and masking tape.

solution

Use a colon to introduce the list since it follows a stand-alone sentence.

$Confetti$

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Teacher tools

Work it out

Not feeling ready yet? These can help:

FF.5Is it a complete sentence or a fragment?

FF.2Commas with nonrestrictive elements

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