Starter quiz
- Which of the following could be used to introduce a list?
- We saw many different animals, such as:
- We saw many different animals: ✓
- We saw many different animals, such as the following: ✓
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- Match the main clauses to the lists that could follow the colon.
- She speaks three languages:⇔French, Spanish and English. ✓
- I have several good friends:⇔Jun, Jacob, Alex and Aisha. ✓
- He had lost several items:⇔his watch, his keys and his phone. ✓
- Which of these sentences is correctly punctuated?
- We need to buy a few things, including: coffee, tea, milk and sugar.
- We need to buy a few things: coffee, tea, milk and sugar. ✓
- We need to buy a few things: coffee, tea, milk, and sugar.
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- Which of these could come before a question introduced by the colon?
- Only one question dominated my thoughts: ✓
- I couldn't stop thinking about:
- The question on my mind was:
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- Which of these sentences is the correct version?
- Walking through the forest, my skin was prickling, was someone else there?
- Walking through the forest, my skin was prickling: Was someone else there?
- Walking through the forest, my skin was prickling: was someone else there? ✓
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- How do colons help to improve text cohesion?
- They can join main clauses together. ✓
- They can reduce interruptions to the flow of the text. ✓
- They help us use fewer lists and questions.
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Exit quiz
- Which of the following can a colon be used for?
- to introduce a list of nouns ✓
- to introduce an explanation ✓
- to introduce a question ✓
- to follow an explanation
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- Which sentence uses a colon to introduce a list correctly?
- Aisha has several pets a dog: a cat and a gerbil.
- Aisha has several pets including: a dog, a cat and a gerbil.
- Aisha has several pets: a dog, a cat and a gerbil. ✓
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- Which sentence uses a colon correctly to introduce a question?
- As she walked away, I sighed: would she ever return? ✓
- As she walked away: I sighed, would she ever return?
- As she walked away, I sighed would: she ever return?
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- Which of these sentences contain an explanation following the colon?
- The dog jumped up: it was excited to see us. ✓
- The dog jumped up: it barked loudly.
- Miss O'Neill frowned: she sighed heavily to herself.
- Miss O'Neill frowned: we were being too noisy and she had a headache. ✓
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- Which of these explanation sentences is correctly punctuated?
- When you go out: put on a coat, it's raining.
- When you go out, put on a coat: it's raining. ✓
- When you go out, put: on a coat, it's raining.
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- Which of the following could complete the following sentence as an explanation? 'We all wanted to impress Miss O'Neill:'
- she had promised a reward to the best table. ✓
- we wanted her to read us the rest of the story. ✓
- we were all sitting up smartly.
- we all checked our uniforms carefully.
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Worksheet
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Presentation
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- A colon is a piece of punctuation with more than one purpose.
- A colon is always placed after a main clause.
- A colon can introduce an explanation of the noun preceding it.
- A colon can help to improve text cohesion.
Common misconception
Pupils may give a consequence instead of an explanation after the colon.
Ask the question 'why?' about the part of the sentence before the colon - the answer should be an explanation not a consequence.
Keywords
Colon - a piece of punctuation placed after a main clause that can introduce an explanation
Main clause - a group of words that contains a verb and makes complete sense
Text cohesion - how a text flows to maintain the interest of the reader and achieve text purpose
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