punctuation - Should the first word after a colon be capitalized?


Should the first word after a colon be capitalized? Which of the following is correct?




  1. For example: This.




  2. For example: this.





Answer



This can go either way. If you are starting a complete sentence that represents a summation of what came before, you are certainly entitled to capitalize the sentence.



Here's an example of such a sentence: There is a sentence after the preceding colon.



But if you are using the colon to offset a list or other material that does not form a complete sentence, it makes no sense to capitalize what follows:



Here are some examples of breakfast foods: eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns, orange juice, coffee.



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