Which sentence uses a colon correctly? CHECK MY ANSWER.
The following runners finished the race: Tina, Creighton, and Charles. <
The people who were chosen to present their ideas were: Sheldon, Maryanne, and Jackson.
Ms. Grinwell can be contacted at: Somerlyn High School.
Every childcare provider must possess: patience and understanding.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct sentence is:
The following runners finished the race: Tina, Creighton, and Charles.
Explanation:
A colon (“:”) is used to introduce a list, a quote, an explanation, or an amplification of what was stated before it. However, it’s important to know the specific rules regarding when to use a colon correctly:
- Colon to Introduce a List:
A colon is correctly used when introducing a list or a series of items after an independent clause (a complete sentence). In the first sentence, “The following runners finished the race” is a complete sentence, and the colon introduces the list of runners: Tina, Creighton, and Charles. This is a correct use of the colon. - Incorrect Examples:
Let’s break down the other sentences:
- The people who were chosen to present their ideas were: Sheldon, Maryanne, and Jackson.
This is incorrect because the clause “The people who were chosen to present their ideas were” is not a complete sentence. The part before the colon should be a full, independent sentence, but here, it is an incomplete sentence with a subject and a verb that sets up a list. The colon should not be used in this way. - Ms. Grinwell can be contacted at: Somerlyn High School.
This sentence is also incorrect because the phrase “Ms. Grinwell can be contacted at” is an independent clause that does not require a colon. A colon is generally not needed after “at” in this context because “Somerlyn High School” is a direct object of the verb “contacted” and does not need to be introduced by a colon. - Every childcare provider must possess: patience and understanding.
This sentence is incorrect because “Every childcare provider must possess” is a complete sentence, but the words following the colon (“patience and understanding”) are not a list. The sentence is stating qualities that a provider must possess, but the colon doesn’t serve a grammatical purpose here. A simple statement such as “Every childcare provider must possess patience and understanding” would be sufficient without a colon.
Summary:
A colon should only be used to introduce a list, a quotation, or further explanation, and the part before the colon must be a complete sentence. The first sentence is the only one that follows this rule.