Basic Writing

Colons

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Use a colon…

• before a list of items. (These are the people I want to see in my office: Rick, Mary Ann, Marla, Wanda, Andy, and Connie.)
• between the hour and minute in time designations. (12:32 P.M.)
• in the greeting of business letters. (Dear Sir or Madam:)

Italics

Italics are used to express the titles of complete works…

• Books (Ivanhoe, The Outsiders, Of Mice and Men).
• Magazines (Good Housekeeping, Health, Runner's World).
• Works of art (Mona Lisa, Starry Night, American Gothic).
• Newspaper titles (New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Ames Daily Register).

Instructions: Read each of the following sentences. Select correct if a sentence does not contain an error in punctuation. If the sentence does contain an error in punctuation, select incorrect.