ESL/EFL: Colon (:) and Hyphen (-) – a quick review
The Colon (:)
- Use a colon to mean “note what “, or by definition, it is used to precede a list of items, a quotation, or an expansion or explanation.
Example 1: When you leave your apartment today, remember to take these items: a warm coat, a notepad, and a pen.
Example 2: Elizabeth Bowen wrote this: “As the sun set its light slowly melted the landscape, till everything was made of fire and glass.”
Example 3:
Marion: ” Oh, for sure”. In this context, Marian meant: it was impossible for her to go out this evening.
- Use a colon in times that don’t use the 24-hour clock to separate hours from minutes.
Examples: The plane will take off at 10:13 AM and will land at 1:45 PM.
The Hyphen (-)
- Use a hyphen to divide a word between syllables at the end of a line.
Example: If you are not sure where to hyphen-ate a word, look it up in the dictionary.
- Hyphenate a compound adjective (two adjectives) when they precede the word it modifies (usually a noun)
Examples: 15-year-old teenager; one-man show; Mother-in-law; Factory-made; Editor-in-chief
(1) It’s recommended you don’t take down any load-bearing walls when renovating.
(2) This rock-hard cake is absolutely impossible to eat.
(3) We’re looking for a dog-friendly hotel.
For many more examples of hyphen usage, please see: https://www.grammarly.com/blog/hyphen/
