Linking function of the colon | The Colon and semicolon | Punctuation | Khan Academy

KA grammarian Paige introduces an important piece of punctuation that helps link items in a sentence: the colon!

Punctuation on Khan Academy: Punctuation is the collection of squiggles, dots, and lines that we use to separate sentences and their parts. Is a question mark punctuation? Yes, and so is an exclamation point!

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[d.c.colthrust]

Your friend Liz’s “Don’t open a jar of pickles that you can’t close” means something like “Don’t bite off too much than you can chew.”

I really enjoyed this vid. Khan Academy is great

[dabinbae]

I have a question. For the sentence, "Both movies are great, but sky pal has one thing that makes it better: dogs that play sports.". Is it wrong to say "Both movies are great, but sky pal has one thing that makes it better, dogs that play sports.", meaning is it wrong to use a comma instead of a colon?

[Nascarboii]

Me and the others be like:
Is it correct?

[melaniemichalik]

I’m confused with the soda one. I thought it was semi colon

[brandonpotter]

2:47, I was previously told that if the pieces before and after the mark are complete sentences, then it would be a semicolon instead of a colon. However, in example 3 on this timestamp, both the sentence and the quote are full sentences, yet there is a colon instead of a semicolon. Was this rule I was told earlier incorrect, or does it simply have the exception of when there is a quote involved?

[checkerboi]

good they say soda instead of pop lmao

[mirzunayedali]

Your voice sounds like diane callahan's

[planemod]

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Oh no I've done it wrong



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[brandonpotter]

Here's a question for ya! In this passage, would the punctuation after 'football' be a colon or a semicolon? And would the punctuation after 'stretching' be a semicolon or a comma?

As a preschooler and early grade-schooler, my parents tried to get me to play almost every sport except for football; my team won a little league baseball championship, but I didn’t like it; I played a season of basketball in which I don’t think I scored a single point; I quit after the first day of both soccer and karate, because I didn’t have the fortitude to withstand their respective running and stretching, etc.

I would think that the one after 'football' would be a colon, but there were other sports not mentioned in the list, so to me, that would mean a colon is not appropriate. As for the one after 'stretching, ' it seems unnecessary to use a semicolon to introduce 'etc.' Would you agree?

All helps is appreciated! :)

[elfaroukmoustafa]

Thanks, Paige. I really need this information; I have a fundamental English end-of-term test, and you're helping!! 😀😃

[ahmadkhan]

On which app do you write plz I beg u let me know😑

[simspeed]

great video khan keep up the good work!

👍

[vibengcate]

Well if pickles are tasty we gotta open them

[randomslomo]

HEY!!!! You aren't Khan academy's voice... 🤨


(I know it's more than one guy now... I'm just joking...)