Colon

Test yourself on Colon

Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Using Colons for Lists

We already know we need to use commas in lists. But we can also introduce a list with a colon!

List of beach items

At the beach, we will need: a bucket, spade, rubber dinghy and some armbands.

List of pencil case items

In my pencil case, there is: a ruler, a sharpener, a pencil, a pen and a rubber.

List of clothes

In my wardrobe, I have: 2 shirts, 1 pair of jeans, 3 hats and 6 pairs of socks.

List of office items

In my office, there is: a desk, a lamp, a folder, a filing cabinet and a computer.

Using Colons to Separate Clauses

We don’t always need to use a full stop to separate main clauses. Sometimes, we can use a colon (:). Let's look at some examples...

The clock was ticking<b>:</b> midnight was approaching

The clock was ticking: midnight was approaching

The dog was sad<b>:</b> he lost his bone

The dog was sad: he lost his bone

The boy was hungry<b>:</b> he skipped breakfast

The boy was hungry: he skipped breakfast

Our teacher was angry<b>:</b> the classroom was messy

Our teacher was angry: the classroom was messy

He drove too fast<b>:</b> he crashed his car

He drove too fast: he crashed his car

Spelling

1.1

Spelling

1.1.1Hard 'U' & 'I' Sounds 1.1.2Words Ending in '-sure', & '-mure'1.1.3Words Ending in '-sion'1.1.4'Ei', 'Eigh' & 'Ey' Spellings 1.1.5Spelling Words with 'Ch'1.1.6Spelling Words with 'Sc'1.1.7Silent Letters 1.1.8i Before e Rule 1.1.9Hard & Soft 'c' Sounds 1.1.10End of Topic Test - Spelling

1.2

Prefixes

1.2.1'Anti-' & 'Auto-'1.2.2Not & 'Inter-'1.2.3'Mis-', 'Dis-' & 'Re-'1.2.4'Sub-' & 'Super-'1.2.5End of Topic Test - Prefixes

1.3

Suffixes

1.3.1Vowel Suffixes 1.3.2Short Vowel Suffixes 1.3.3Suffixes: '-ous'1.3.4Rules for Suffixes: '-ous'1.3.5Rules for Suffixes: '-ous' 2 1.3.6Suffixes: '-ly'1.3.7Suffixes: '-ation'1.3.8Suffixes: '-ation' 2 1.3.9Spelling: '-tion' Endings 1.3.10Spelling: '-sion' Endings 1.3.11Spelling: '-ssion' Endings 1.3.12Spelling: '-cian' Endings 1.3.13End of Topic Test - Suffixes 1.3.14End of Topic Test - Spelling

1.4

Making Words Plural

1.4.1Plurals 1.4.2End of Topic Test - Plurals

1.5

Homophones

1.6

Word Meanings

1.6.1Homonyms 1.6.2End of Topic Test - Homonyms

Punctuation

Grammar

3.1

Word Classes

3.1.1Nouns 3.1.2Pronouns 3.1.3Verbs 3.1.4Adjectives & Adverbs 3.1.5Qualifiers & Quantifiers 3.1.6Determiners 3.1.7Prepositions 3.1.8Synonyms & Antonyms 3.1.9End of Topic Test - Word Classes

3.2

Conjunctions

3.2.1Coordinating Conjunctions 3.2.2Subordinating Conjunctions 3.2.3End of Topic Test - Conjunctions

3.3

Writing Coherently

3.3.1Building Cohesion in Writing 3.3.2Avoiding Ambiguity in Writing 3.3.3End of Topic Test - Cohesion

3.4

Verbs

3.4.1Subject-verb Agreement 3.4.2End of Topic Test - Subject-verb

3.5

Modal Verbs

3.5.1Modal Verbs 3.5.2Can & Could 3.5.3May & Might 3.5.4Should & Shall 3.5.5Will & Would 3.5.6Must & Have To 3.5.7End of Topic Test - Modals

3.6

Phrasal Verbs

3.6.1Phrasal Verbs 3.6.2End of Topic Test - Phrasal Verbs

3.7

Subjunctive Verbs

3.7.1Subjunctive Verbs 3.7.2End of Topic Test - Verbs

3.8

Sentences

3.8.1Subject of a Sentence 3.8.2Object of a Sentence 3.8.3Main & Subordinate Clauses 3.8.4Simple Sentences & Compound Sentences 3.8.5Complex Sentences 3.8.6Relative Clauses 3.8.7Relative Clauses Without Relative Pronouns 3.8.8Participle Clauses 3.8.9Run-on Sentences 3.8.10Sentence Functions 3.8.11End of Topic Test - Sentences

3.9

Tenses

3.9.1Present Tense 3.9.2Past Tense 3.9.3Past Tense Using Have 3.9.4Future Tense 3.9.5Present vs Past vs Future 3.9.6Continuity of Tenses 3.9.7End of Topic Test - Tenses

3.10

Adverbials

3.10.1Adverbial 3.10.2Saying Where & When 3.10.3Saying How Often 3.10.4Saying How & Why 3.10.5Using Commas for Fronted Adverbials 3.10.6End of Topic Test - Adverbials

3.11

Language Techniques

3.11.1Figurative & Emotive Language 3.11.2Active & Passive Voice 3.11.3Idiomatic Expressions 3.11.4End of Topic Test - Language Techniques

Decoding Words

4.1

Common Word Roots

4.1.1Saving 4.1.2Certainty & Clarity 4.1.3New & Alone 4.1.4Believing & Thinking 4.1.5Carrying & Leading 4.1.6Shape & Place 4.1.7Doing & Making 4.1.8Climbing & Going 4.1.9End of Topic Test - Common Root Words 4.1.10End of Topic Test - Common Root Words 2

4.2

Common Prefixes

4.2.1For & Against 4.2.2All & Same 4.2.3Away & Far 4.2.4Colour & Shape 4.2.5Back & Down 4.2.6Numbers 4.2.7Across & Through 4.2.8Life & Earth 4.2.9Empty & Broken 4.2.10Great & Greater 4.2.11Hearing & Speaking 4.2.12Apart & Together 4.2.13Over & Under 4.2.14In 4.2.15Less & Smaller 4.2.16Before & After 4.2.17End of Topic Test - Common Prefixes 2 4.2.18End of Topic Test - Common Prefixes

4.3

Common Suffixes

4.3.1Characterised By 4.3.2Disease 4.3.3Lover & Lacking 4.3.4Belief & Study 4.3.5People 4.3.6State & Quality 4.3.7Sound & Colour 4.3.8Capable & Relating 4.3.9End of Topic Test - Common Suffixes 4.3.10End of Topic Test - Common Suffixes 2

Reading & Writing

Jump to other topics

Spelling

1.1

Spelling

1.2

Prefixes

1.2.1'Anti-' & 'Auto-'1.2.2Not & 'Inter-'1.2.3'Mis-', 'Dis-' & 'Re-'1.2.4'Sub-' & 'Super-'1.2.5End of Topic Test - Prefixes

1.3

Suffixes

1.4

Making Words Plural

1.4.1Plurals 1.4.2End of Topic Test - Plurals

1.5

Homophones

1.6

Word Meanings

1.6.1Homonyms 1.6.2End of Topic Test - Homonyms

Punctuation

Grammar

3.1

Word Classes

3.1.1Nouns 3.1.2Pronouns 3.1.3Verbs 3.1.4Adjectives & Adverbs 3.1.5Qualifiers & Quantifiers 3.1.6Determiners 3.1.7Prepositions 3.1.8Synonyms & Antonyms 3.1.9End of Topic Test - Word Classes

3.2

Conjunctions

3.2.1Coordinating Conjunctions 3.2.2Subordinating Conjunctions 3.2.3End of Topic Test - Conjunctions

3.3

Writing Coherently

3.3.1Building Cohesion in Writing 3.3.2Avoiding Ambiguity in Writing 3.3.3End of Topic Test - Cohesion

3.4

Verbs

3.4.1Subject-verb Agreement 3.4.2End of Topic Test - Subject-verb

3.5

Modal Verbs

3.5.1Modal Verbs 3.5.2Can & Could 3.5.3May & Might 3.5.4Should & Shall 3.5.5Will & Would 3.5.6Must & Have To 3.5.7End of Topic Test - Modals

3.6

Phrasal Verbs

3.6.1Phrasal Verbs 3.6.2End of Topic Test - Phrasal Verbs

3.7

Subjunctive Verbs

3.7.1Subjunctive Verbs 3.7.2End of Topic Test - Verbs

3.8

Sentences

3.9

Tenses

3.9.1Present Tense 3.9.2Past Tense 3.9.3Past Tense Using Have 3.9.4Future Tense 3.9.5Present vs Past vs Future 3.9.6Continuity of Tenses 3.9.7End of Topic Test - Tenses

3.10

Adverbials

3.10.1Adverbial 3.10.2Saying Where & When 3.10.3Saying How Often 3.10.4Saying How & Why 3.10.5Using Commas for Fronted Adverbials 3.10.6End of Topic Test - Adverbials

3.11

Language Techniques

3.11.1Figurative & Emotive Language 3.11.2Active & Passive Voice 3.11.3Idiomatic Expressions 3.11.4End of Topic Test - Language Techniques

Decoding Words

4.1

Common Word Roots

4.2

Common Prefixes

4.3

Common Suffixes

Reading & Writing

Practice questions on Colon

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

1
What punctuation can we use to introduce lists?Multiple choice
2
What punctuation could you use to introduce this list?<br><br>__In my brother's room, he has a chest of drawers, a television, a clock, an armchair and a bed.__Multiple choice
3
Which of these forms of punctuation could we use to separate main clauses?Multiple choice
4
What punctuation could you use to replace the full stop?<br><br>__The girl was sad. She lost her teddy bear.__Multiple choice
5
In which of these sentences could you use a colon to separate the main clauses?Multiple choice

Answer all questions on Colon

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions
Mini-mock exams based on your study history
Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium

Dashes

Semi-Colon

Colon

Spelling

Spelling

Prefixes

Suffixes

Making Words Plural

Homophones

Word Meanings

Punctuation

Punctuation

Writing Structure

Grammar

Word Classes

Conjunctions

Writing Coherently

Verbs

Modal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs

Subjunctive Verbs

Sentences

Tenses

Adverbials

Language Techniques

Decoding Words

Common Word Roots

Common Prefixes

Common Suffixes

Reading & Writing

Reading Formats

Writing Formats

Spelling

Spelling

Prefixes

Suffixes

Making Words Plural

Homophones

Word Meanings

Punctuation

Punctuation

Writing Structure

Grammar

Word Classes

Conjunctions

Writing Coherently

Verbs

Modal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs

Subjunctive Verbs

Sentences

Tenses

Adverbials

Language Techniques

Decoding Words

Common Word Roots

Common Prefixes

Common Suffixes

Reading & Writing

Reading Formats

Writing Formats

Practice questions on Colon

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium