- How to introduce a quote without the author how to#
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In British English, though, you should use a comma after the salutation – never a colon – for formal business letters as well as for informal letters.Ĭolons can take a bit of practice, so try using one (or more!) in the next piece that you write. Informal or personal correspondence uses a comma in place of this colon. In American and Australian usage, the salutation (greeting) should be followed by a colon in formal correspondence – this applies whether you’re using someone’s surname or first name: Rule #6: Use a Colon After the Salutation in a Business Letter (Depending on Where You Live) But even the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, who was no enemy of reason, taught that stimulating emotion in your audience can be the key to persuading them. Some writers neglect the power of emotion when communicating their ideas, valuing logic more than others do, and assuming that everyone thinks like they do – that careful reasoning is enough to convince readers and make points. This should normally be preceded by a colon, and should be indented from the left margin – some style guides also indent from the right margin. This means using a “block quotation” that goes in its own standalone paragraph. Whether you’re writing an essay, a non-fiction book, or a blog post, there’ll be times when you want to quote someone else at some length (more than a sentence or two). Rule #5: Use a Colon to Introduce an Extended Quotation
How to introduce a quote without the author full#
In this case, it makes sense to capitalize the first “No” because it’s the first of three full sentences. The rules were inflexible: No running in the corridors. When the Information After the Colon Requires Two (or More) Sentences In that example, “This” has to be capitalized because it’s the start of a full sentence quotation. The chair made an announcement: “This meeting will have to be postponed.” When it’s a Complete or Full Sentence Quotation There are a couple of cases in which you should always capitalize the sentence after a colon, though. In these cases, it’s best to either consult the style guide for the publication you’re writing for, or to create a consistent style guide for your own work. Remember what your mother taught you: If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. Some would say that you don’t need to capitalize if the clause after the colon bears a close relationship to the clause before the colon, but would capitalize a general or formal statement, such as: Others believe that you should generally avoid capitalizing in this way, instead preferring: Some editors believe that it’s always best to capitalize a complete sentence that comes after a colon, like this: Rule #4: Carefully Consider Capitalizing a Complete Sentence After a Colon This example is consistent because each item ends with a punctuation mark: either a period or an exclamation point. In other cases, though, it’s up to you whether or not you want to capitalize and use periods – just be consistent. If each item on the list is a complete sentence, you should always capitalize the first letter and finish with a period (or question mark or exclamation point, if appropriate). When using a colon to introduce a list in this way, capitalization and ending punctuation aren’t always necessary. Rule #3: Be Consistent With Punctuation of Bullet Points It you’re listing items line by line, you should use a colon to introduce the list – even if that same colon wouldn’t be required for a list in sentence form. (Not “You should bring: a torch, warm clothing, and waterproof boots.”) Rule #2: Use a Colon Before Listing Items with Bullet Points You should bring a torch, warm clothing, and waterproof boots. However, you should not use a colon if the sentence does not require punctuation.įor instance, the following sentences are correct without a colon: (Not “Bring the following equipment a torch, warm clothing, and waterproof boots.”) Here are some examples of colons being used correctly, preceding an item or multiple items when the sentence requires punctuation at that point.īring the following equipment: a torch, warm clothing, and waterproof boots. Rule #1: Use a Colon to Introduce One or More Items, When Punctuation is Required We’re going to go through some key rules that will hopefully clear things up.
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How to introduce a quote without the author how to#
Perhaps you’re not sure whether to use a capital letter after a colon, or you’re unsure how to structure a list of items that follows a colon.
How to introduce a quote without the author series#
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The colon can be a tricky punctuation mark. When to Use a Colon: Rules and Examples By Ali Hale