冒号 Colon
冒号与分号Semicolon 不同,如前一课所述,分号是用来分隔 coordinate expressions,在句子中,冒号Colon 通常是介绍跟着的事物,特别用于职衔、参考资料、或时间资料上。
(1)用冒号来介绍例子、引述、阐释、或列表:
将冒号放在一完整句子(前句)之后,去介绍一系列事物、例子、或解释前句。
I)Introduce a quotation:
Independent clause containing words that introduce a quotation: “Quoted Words.”
例子:
As a project coordinator, my boss always followed the same policy: “Do what is right today; justify it later.”
II)Introduce a list:
Independent clause: listed items.
例子:
You will need the following items: hiking boots, a tent, some dried food, warm clothing, a torch, and mosquito repellent.
III)Introduce a second clause that summarizes, restates, explains or enlarge upon the first clause in the sentence:
Independent clause: summarizing or restating words.
例子:
We knew that he meant what he said: his eyes looked as blue and hard as steel.
Capitalization:
1.在冒号之后的完整引述句子 quotation 的第一个字用大写(capital letter)。
2.在冒号之后的表列事物、同位语(appositive)或任何其它非独立句子的第一个字要用小写(lowercase letter),但专有名词proper noun除外。
3.在冒号之后的独立句子或问句的第一个字则可以用大写或小写,而无论用那种写法,均须与整篇文章一致。
(2) 用冒号去分隔资料:
I) Title & subtitle
例子:
The complete title of the book is the Flaneur: A Stroll through the Paradoxes of Paris.
II) Hours, minutes, & seconds
例子:
The plane took off at 8:45p.m.
III) Memo form
例子:
To: Mr Philips Lee
From: Miss Teresa Fung
Re: Annual Meeting
IV) Salutation of formal or business letter
例子:
Dear Mrs Brown:
V) Chapters & verses of the bible
例子:
Psalms23:1-3
John3:16
VI) Bibliographic format
例子:
1.City of publication & publisher (book):
Burns,Marilyn.The Book of Think. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1976.2.
Year from pages (article):
Browns,Anne, “How to Solve a Problem.”U.S. News Report. 22 June 1987:43.