Over the years, I have found that I only really know of one reason to use a colon: lists. Unfortunately, even that was not a list, so I probably used the colon incorrectly, which brings me to my next point. I tend to avoid colons in all of my writing, whether it is creative or a literary an assignment for a course. All in all, I just do not see the point in them. A semi-colon separates two complete clauses, a comma is used within lists and between introductory clauses and the remainder of a sentence (as well as in other random places that a slight pause or interjection is needed), and end punctuation, well, is used for everything else. So where does that leave the colon?
I have never really had a problem with misusing colons on assignments or in my personal writing because I generally avoid them altogether, and I think that might be my biggest issue. I have never had a professor mark on a paper in order to tell me that I have done something wrong because I never give anyone the chance. I am sure that, at some point during my education, I was taught the proper usage of various forms of punctuation, but I have since forgotten each and every lesson pertaining to the colon, providing that there ever were any. I wish I could remember back to the moment that I “learned” about the proper usage of the colon, because I am starting to think that maybe such a lesson never existed.
I recently looked back through old papers that I have saved, and I have noticed a pattern in my writing. I use a lot of commas, occasionally I throw in a semi-colon or two, and, to no avail, I never use colons. I rarely have issues with other forms of punctuation within my writing, but my avoidance of colons altogether is bound to be an issue, at least in the long run.
That brings me back to my question. Where exactly should one properly place a colon? In front of a list? I guess that when I am thinking about using a colon in my writing, that is the only scenario that I ever see fit to add one. Can you even use a colon if it doesn’t directly precede a list? I am not even sure if a complete clause can follow a colon, but maybe I am incorrect, maybe if functions similar to a semi-colon sometimes. Perhaps it is just for style and really has no true purpose. Or maybe there really are no other uses for the colon besides starting a list, and maybe I have not been misusing it all along. I am just full o f a whole lot of maybes regarding the annoying punctuation right now. I hope that throughout the course I will fully come to terms with the pesky punctuation and finally realize its value, because at this point, I just see it as a nuisance.
