Plain English

RULES FOR THE USE OF THE COLON

512. The colon is not used as much as it formerly was. The comma and the semi-colon and the period are now used in most of the places where older writers used the colon.

One authority in English says that, "in strict logic the colon is to the sentence in which it is used what the mark of equality is in mathematics."

513. The colon is used before a formal list of items. For example:

Economics has three important divisions: production, distribution, consumption.

514. The colon is used after a salutation at the beginning of a letter. For example: Dear Sir:Gentlemen:Comrades:

In such cases the dash is also frequently used with the colon. For example: My dear Sir:—Gentlemen:—Comrades:—

515. The colon is more often used instead of the semi-colon after such expressions as, thus:as follows:the following:for example: etc.

The colon is also used to separate a series of sentences which are explanatory of the main clause. For example:

The People's College has two great aims: the first is to bring education within the reach of every worker; the second is to teach from the viewpoint of the working class.

We were advised to proceed thus: first, to be systematic in our work; second, to concentrate; third, to go slowly and surely; and last of all, to think for ourselves.

RULES FOR THE USE OF THE PERIOD

516.The period is a mark of punctuation that denotes the completion of a sentence.

517. The period is used at the close of all assertive and imperative sentences. For example:

There is talk of peace but preparation for war.

Claim your own at any hazard.

518. The period is used after all initials and all abbreviations, as for example: E. V. Debs; T. P. O'Connor; Mr., Dr., Co., Mass., N. Y., C. O. D., F. O. B., U. S. A., etc.

519. The period is used to separate whole numbers and decimal numbers. For example: 3.1416 9.342.

A period is used for the decimal point between dollars and cents; as: $4.50, $2.25, $16.54, $35926.72.

It is also used to separate the various denominations of sterling money, as: £14. 15s. 6d.

520. The period is used after letters used as numerals or after figures used to number paragraphs, notes, remarks, questions or any list of particulars. For example:

The letters which are used to denote sub-heads in the enumeration of rules as a. b. c., etc., also the numerals and letters marking sections or sub-sections in chapters, as Chapter 8.Paragraph 1.Rule 1.Page 4.Volume 2.Paragraph 3.P. 16.

521. The period is also used after headings and titles, after dates and signatures to letters and other documents; also at the close of the address at the beginning of a letter, and of the name at the close of the letter; also after the last item in the direction of an envelope or package.

Exercise 2

In the following quotations place the commas, semi-colons, colons and periods in their proper places, and be able to give a reason for what you do:

The man who stabs his brother to death is a criminal and is hanged the general who under a flag slays a regiment is a hero and is decorated with a cross

The most thrilling oratory the most powerful and impressive eloquence is the voice of the disinherited the oppressed the suffering and the submerged it is the voice of poverty and misery of wretchedness and despair it is the voice of humanity crying to the infinite it is the voice that resounds throughout the earth and reaches heaven it is the voice that wakens the conscience of the race and proclaims the truths that fill the world with life liberty and love

The number of lives lost in the great wars of the world have been as follows Napoleonic wars 1900000 our Civil War 656000 Franco-German War 290000 Boer War 90898 Russo-Japanese 555900 and in the present world-war untold millions

Walt Whitman who represents individualism at its best writes "I sing the song of myself" To this the Socialist replies "Inasmuch as my redemption is bound up in that of my class I sing the song of my class"

We believe with John Ruskin "whether there be one God or three no God or ten thousand children should be fed and their bodies should be kept clean"

My dear Mr Smith Your letter of the 15th has been received

Through the dreams of all the ages rings the voice of labor beginning as a murmur growing in volume and grandeur as it rolls round the world And this is the burden of its message By the sweat of no other's brow shalt thou eat bread

The sun of the new world is rising it is rising out of the solidarity of the working class Its rays of light are bursting through the dark horizon which ignorance and deceit have so long riveted upon us It is lighting up the faces of a new order of men and women supermen and women men and women not discouraged by defeat god-like men and women who have found the secret springs of life and are already drinking deep and glorious draughts men and women who are standing erect and whose joined hands encircle the world men and women who see the world's wretchedness and the world's poverty and are ready to throw away their lives with a song on their lips that such things shall not be

Exercise 3

Note the punctuation in the following poem and determine for yourself, in accordance with the rules we have studied, why the commas, semi-colons, colons and periods are used as they are:

JOHN BROWN

States are not great
Except as man may make them;
Men are not great except they do and dare.
But States, like men,
Have destinies that take them—
That bear them on, not knowing why or where.

The why repels
The philosophic searcher—
The why and where all questionings defy,
Until we find,
Far back in youthful nurture,
Prophetic facts that constitute the why.

All merit comes
From braving the unequal;
All glory comes from daring to begin.
Fame loves the State
That, reckless of the sequel,
Fights long and well, whether it lose or win.

And there is one
Whose faith, whose fight, whose failing,
Fame shall placard upon the walls of time.
He dared begin—
Despite the unavailing,
He dared begin, when failure was a crime.