It's 12.30. If you ask someone the time of day, and he writes 12.30, you may think he is referring to money ($12.30) rather than time. We are all used to seeing the time, when written, punctuated properly with a colon: 12:30. But we may not be used to seeing the colon used correctly in other respects. In essay writing, the colon is used primarily to introduce a formal series:

• He admired three quarterbacks: Namath, Bradshaw, and Montana.
• I need to complete my degrees: Algebra and Biology. The following series are not formally introduced, and so do not need colons.
• His favorite quarterbacks are Namath, Bradshaw, and Montana.
• Two courses I need to complete my degree are Algebra and Biology.
• The colon is also used to introduce a formal explanation: 
       The oak tree is deciduous: it sheds its leaves in winter.
       His intention is clear: he is determined to become president.

(Note in the above two examples that the second clause in each sentence explains something in the first clause. If the two clauses are related, but the second does not explain or justify something in the first clause, use a semicolon instead of a colon. For example: The oak tree is deciduous; the pine tree is coniferous.)

Now, take a look at the following sentences that use colons incorrectly, or omit them when they should be used. How would you correct each one?

• The supplies we bought were: pop, cigarettes, and hamburgers.
• Gary, a bright young man, is a student of: drama, film, and fiction.
• Washington's army spent the winter at Valley Forge: no other suitable winter quarters could be found.
• Over the piano was a printed notice: please do not shoot the piano player.

There are, of course, several other uses of the colon, most of which you will deal with when you do research papers. Colons are used to:

• introduce a long or format quotation
• separate subtitles and titles
• separate parts of biblical quotations
• separate city and publisher in bibliographic entries.

As noted at the beginning, colons are also used to separate subdivisions of time, and, finally, to end formal salutations (My Dear Sir:)

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