##  [The colon](/hypergrammar-2/the-colon)

##  Avertissement

Ce contenu est offert en anglais seulement.

Writers often confuse the colon with the [semicolon](the-semicolon), but their uses are entirely different.

## When to Use a Colon

The <a id="colon">colon</a> focuses the reader’s attention on what is to follow, and as a result you should use it to introduce a list, a summation or an idea that somehow completes the introductory idea. You may use the colon in this way, however, only after an [independent clause](using-clauses-as-nouns-adjectives-and-adverbs#independentclause):

- He visited three cities during his stay in the Maritimes: Halifax, Saint John and Moncton.
- Their lobbying efforts were ultimately useless: the bill was soundly defeated.
- My mentor gave me one good piece of advice: to avoid wasting time and energy worrying about things I cannot change.

## When Not to Use a Colon

You should not place a colon between a [verb](what-is-a-verb#whatisverb) and its [object](objects-and-complements#objects) or [subject complement](objects-and-complements#scmplmnt), or between a [preposition](what-is-a-preposition#whatispreposit) and its object:

- **\[WRONG\]** His neighbour lent him: a pup tent, a wooden canoe and a slightly battered camping stove. (colon between verb and objects)
- **\[RIGHT\]** His neighbour lent him a pup tent, a wooden canoe and a slightly battered camping stove.
- **\[WRONG\]** Her three goals are: to improve her public speaking skills, to increase her self-confidence and to sharpen her sales techniques. (colon between verb and subject complements)
- **\[RIGHT\]** Her three goals are to improve her public speaking skills, to increase her self-confidence and to sharpen her sales techniques.
- **\[WRONG\]** We travelled to: Ireland, Wales and Scotland. (colon between preposition and objects)
- **\[RIGHT\]** We travelled to Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

##  Avis de droit d’auteur pour l’outil HyperGrammar 2

© Département d’anglais, Faculté des arts, Université d’Ottawa
Un outil mis en ligne par le Bureau de la traduction, Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada

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- [Grammar and syntax](/fr/navigateur-navigator?search_api_fulltext=-&field_writing_tools=All&sort_by=views&f%5B1%5D=navigateur_navigator_english_theme%3A476#navigateur-navigator-resultats-results)
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## Liens connexes

- [HyperGrammar 2](/fr/hypergrammar-2/index-fra) (page d’accueil)
- [Outils d’aide à la rédaction](/fr/outils-tools/index-fra)
- [Navigateur linguistique](/fr/navigateur-navigator) (permet de trouver rapidement des conseils linguistiques)
- [TERMIUM Plus®](http://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2alpha/alpha-fra.html?lang=fra)
- [Communiquer avec le Portail linguistique du Canada](/fr/apropos-about-fra#a8)