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Old 07-01-2006, 09:08 AM   #1
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Question about punctuation: When do I capitalize after colons?

Nevermind. If I could delete the thread I would. I should google stuff a lot more.

Maybe I'm being paranoid. I don't know.

I've been looking at writings and the usage of colons by other writers. I haven't been able to figure out the correct way to use a dependent and independent clause after it; I don't know when to capitalize after the colon.

I've been writing a wikibook, and I'm trying to figure out the following:

Quote:
Now that the reasons for using a laptop for Internet usage have been eliminated (or to a degree), there is still one problem: writing.
If you're clueless, then let me put this within context. I described earlier in the webpage that most laptops used by students for Internet surfing and writing.

This looks right. I think it's right. But I'm not sure.

Sometimes I'll see a sentence after a colon.

Quote:
Kamisama came to me on June 6th and told me the truth of the universe: The biblical verse John 2:18 can be mathematical turned into 666 in a multitude of ways
Would a writer capitalize the letters in red?
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Last edited by Kamisama : 07-01-2006 at 01:54 PM.
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Old 07-01-2006, 06:04 PM   #2
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Quote:
I've been looking at writings and the usage of colons by other writers. I haven't been able to figure out the correct way to use a dependent and independent clause after it; I don't know when to capitalize after the colon.
...you capitalize after one only if used as subtitle separation or if introducing a quotation... or if the word following it is a proper noun... otherwise, what comes after is merely part of the same sentence and not capitalized...

...this from rutgers prof, j. lynch:
Quote:
Colon. A colon marks a pause for explanation, expansion, enumeration, or elaboration. Use a colon to introduce a list: thing one, thing two, and thing three. Use it to pause and explain: this sentence makes the point. Use it to give an example: this, for instance.

There are other uses: the entry on Citation includes some tips on colons in bibliographies. Americans use it after the salutation in a formal letter: "Dear Sir:" (the British use a comma, which we Americans restrict to less formal letters). It also introduces a block quotation or a list of bullet points.

See also Semicolon (don't confuse them!) and the end of Capitalization. [Entry added 3 November 2000.]
...his site ['guide to grammar and style'] is a must for all writers to keep handy, imo... along with your strunk and white, of course!... http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/index.html
Quote:

I've been writing a wikibook, and I'm trying to figure out the following:


Quote:
Now that the reasons for using a laptop for Internet usage have been eliminated (or to a degree), there is still one problem: writing.

If you're clueless, then let me put this within context. I described earlier in the webpage that most laptops used by students for Internet surfing and writing.

This looks right. I think it's right. But I'm not sure.
...imo, an em dash would work better there, but this is ok, i guess... and the lower case 'w' is correct...

Quote:
Sometimes I'll see a sentence after a colon.


Quote:
Kamisama came to me on June 6th and told me the truth of the universe: The biblical verse John 2:18 can be mathematical turned into 666 in a multitude of ways

Would a writer capitalize the letters in red?
...'a writer' might... but all writers are not equally skilled in correct grammar and punctuation, right?... anyway, the 't' should be capitalized, because it's the beginning of a quoted sentence, isn't it?... however, you've left out the " " that quotations should be enclosed in...

hope this helps... get yourself a good punctuation guide and you won't have these problems... i use harry shaw's 'punctuate it right'...

love and hugs, maia
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