Insert a colon. When is the colon added? Colon in a complex sentence

The colon is one of the oldest punctuation marks. It is already almost 600 years old, and the colon appeared in the distant 15th century, almost immediately after the very first punctuation mark - the period.

At S.Ya. Marshak has a poem called "Punctuation marks". So the colon in this poem says the following words about itself:

However, despite the importance of the colon, in terms of the number of rules this punctuation mark is significantly inferior to all others. To correctly use a colon in writing, you need to remember only four rules.

Rule one. Colon and generic words

A colon is placed in those sentences that use generalizing words and homogeneous members of the sentence. This punctuation mark must be placed after generalizing words and before listing.

Sergei Timofeevich Aksakov writes in one of his works: “Hunting with sharpness requires three conditions: dark night, light water and completely clear weather".

The generalizing phrase in this sentence is underlined with one line, and homogeneous members of the sentence are in italics.

Do not forget that if a generalizing word comes after homogeneous members of a sentence, then we put not a colon, but a dash. The same sentence in reverse order would look like this:

Dark night, light water and completely clear weather - three conditions, which are needed for hunting with a sharp edge.

Rule two. Colons and non-union complex sentences

A colon is placed in non-union complex sentences in several cases, namely: if the second part explains or reveals the content of the first part, indicates the reason for what is being discussed in the first part, and also warns that the matter does not end there. To remember this rule, you need to learn the words that can be used to complete the sentence.

1. If the sentence indicates a reason, then the conjunctions will fit harmoniously between the two simple parts because And because. Let us remember the well-known words of Maxim Gorky about books:

Love the book: it will help you understand the motley confusion of thoughts, it will teach you to respect a person.

Instead of a colon we can easily put and because, And because. In this sentence, you can see how the second part reveals the reason for the first, giving us good reasons why we should love the book - the source of knowledge.

2. If the second part explains the first, then you can put the words namely or something like that. Here is an example from the work of A.S. Pushkin:

The weather was terrible: the wind howled, wet snow fell in flakes.

Instead of a colon, it is appropriate to put the words namely.

3. If one part of a sentence warns of further presentation, then you can put the words and I will see what and hear how. Let's look at an example from Nikolai Ostrovsky's play:

You can see for yourself: everything around is in a powerful movement.

In this sentence we can put the conjunction that, turning a non-union complex sentence into a complex sentence.

Rule three: Colon and direct speech

Finally I told her: “Do you want to go for a walk on the rampart?”

He turned away and, walking away, muttered: “Still, this is completely against the rules.”

Rule four. Colon and headings

A colon is placed in headings if they are divided into two parts:

First part(nominative) names the place of action, the person, the general problem.

Second part specifies the first part.

For example:

Bazhov: reader and book lover.

The country's budget: problems and judgments.

That's all the rules that relate to the placement of colons in sentences. However, do not forget that this punctuation mark can also be used to express feelings. For example, like this:) or:(.

Punctuation marks are nothing more than a system of symbols that is used in various languages ​​to structure written speech. The same punctuation marks in different languages ​​can not only be placed differently, but also have different meanings.

Let's talk about such an important punctuation mark as the colon. This punctuation mark is placed inside a sentence. A colon is placed between parts of a sentence that may be either related or different from each other. This sign can be found both in simple and complex sentences. The colon focuses the reader's attention on what comes after it.

As a rule, a colon is placed after a generalizing word when listing. For example: “In this amazing store you could buy a lot of different sweets: caramel, cotton candy, chocolate, toffee, all sorts of buns and candies.”

If you need to insert a quotation from some text into your essay, you should first put a colon, and then the quotation marks. Colons in complex sentences are used where one of the simple sentences requires clarification of the other. For example: “It became clear to everyone that the criminal was still in the room: his traces could be seen throughout the room, but not at the door.”

So, let's summarize. A colon is placed in the following cases:

To focus on one part of a sentence;

When listing homogeneous members after a generalizing word;

To highlight direct speech;

To explain one sentence to another.

Have you often wondered when writing when to put a colon and when to put a dash? Probably often, because these punctuation marks, like any other, require adherence to certain rules, although in some cases they are very similar. But we’ll talk about which ones later in the article.

Relationship between generic words and colon or dash

When discussing when to put a colon and when to put a dash, first of all you need to mention those sentences in which homogeneous members are used, and with them there is a generalizing word. It is after it, before the listing, that the colon is necessary.

So, for example, in the sentence: “ You could always find interesting things in his backpack: pebbles, bolts, metal balls and even a fly in a matchbox", the list is preceded by the general word " things”, after which in this situation a colon is placed.

If the generalizing word is found after the listing, then a dash must be placed in front of it. For example: " Pebbles, bolts, metal balls and even a fly in a matchbox - these are the things that can always be found in Petka’s backpack».

By the way, after a generalizing word you can often find a dash, which is also the right option. For example: " Everything is different there - the language, way of life and even values».

Colon and dash in non-union complex sentences

There are several cases when a colon is placed in complex non-union sentences:

1. If the second part of a complex sentence explains the content of the first. Then the conjunctions “namely” or “like that” can be placed between them. For example: “Everything in nature spoke of joy: the sun shone brightly from a clear sky, and birds sang in different voices.”
2. If the second part of the sentence indicates the reason for what is mentioned in the first part. Then, by the way, it is easy to put the conjunctions “because” and “since” between the parts. For example: “Ivan was a very distrustful person: his close people let him down too often.”
3. Another case where a colon is placed between parts of a sentence is where one part warns that the presentation will continue further. In such sentences, the first part usually uses one of the verbs: see, know, hear, feel, etc. For example: “Peter and Anna knew: they would definitely have a large and noisy family.” As you can see, between the parts of this sentence and similar ones you can put the conjunction “what”, thus turning it into a complex sentence.

An acceptable option is also to use a dash instead of a colon in these sentences. Compare:

• He understood that something irreparable had happened..
• It’s better not to say something like that in front of him - he might get offended.
• It seemed to them that just a little more and everything would come true.

By the way, sentences with a warning about the continuation of the story should be distinguished from complex sentences that do not contain one. In this case, a comma is placed between the parts. For example: " I know they will live with us».

When to put a colon in a sentence with direct speech

In those sentences where direct speech is used, a colon is placed after the words of the author, for example:

• On the way home, Nina plaintively asked Sonya: “Will you ever be able to forgive me?”
• She said through her teeth: “If you knew how much I hate this life.”

Sentences that include direct speech must be distinguished from complex constructions. In the latter, a comma is placed before the subordinate clause, for example:

• On the way home, Nina plaintively asked Sonya whether she could count on forgiveness.
• She said through clenched teeth that she absolutely hated this life.

In what cases is a colon placed in the title?

The rules for writing headings require special explanation. If the title of a text is divided into two parts, and the first of them (nominative) names a person, problem, place of action, etc., and the second specifies the meaning of the first, then a colon is placed between them.

Let's look at examples of such headers:

• Sore throat: signs and methods of treating the disease.
• Mikhail Bulgakov: unknown facts from the writer’s biography.
• Ten days in India: a land of wonders and contrasts.

So what should you put - a dash or a colon?

In conclusion, we can say that in modern language it is becoming increasingly easier to decide when to use a colon and when it is better to use a dash, since the dash is in this " fight” often comes out victorious.

According to the famous D. E. Rosenthal, the dash is a freer sign, often “ coming" and into the possessions of the colon. What explains this? The linguist believes that a dash in a sentence performs not only purely syntactic functions, but also gives it an emotionally expressive coloring. Obviously, this is why authors love to use it so much in fiction and periodicals. As an example, we can cite several phrases from newspapers: “ The elections are over - we can take stock" or " Experts call this process quite natural - the demand for land has increased».

This means that you can decide when to put a colon in a sentence, and when to put a dash, based on the author’s preferences.

Colon

§ 159. A colon is placed before the listing that ends the sentence:

1. If the enumeration is preceded by a generalizing word (and often, in addition, other words for example, somehow*, namely ), For example:

Cossacks rose from everywhere: from Chigirin, from Pereyaslav, from Baturin, from Glukhov, from the lower side of the Dnieper and from all its upper reaches and islands.

Gogol

Familiar details appeared: deer antlers, shelves with books, a mirror, a stove with an air vent that should have been repaired long ago, my father’s sofa, a large table, an open book on the table, a broken ashtray, a notebook with his handwriting.

L. Tolstoy

Large fish fight sharply, such as: pike, catfish, asp, pike perch*.

S. Aksakov

2. If there is no generalizing word before the listing, but it is necessary to warn the reader that some kind of list follows, for example:

From under the hay one could see a samovar, a tub of ice cream, and some other attractive bundles and boxes.

§ 161. A colon is placed after a sentence, followed by one or more sentences not connected to the first by means of conjunctions and containing:

a) clarification or disclosure of the content of what is said in the first sentence, for example:

I was not mistaken: the old man did not refuse the offered glass.

Pushkin

Moreover, the worries of her large family constantly tormented her: either the feeding of the infant did not go well, then the nanny left, then, as now, one of the children fell ill.

L. Tolstoy

Here a rather interesting picture opened up: a wide hut, the roof of which rested on two completed pillars, was full of people.

Lermontov

b) the basis, the reason for what is said in the first sentence, for example:

You won’t be able to catch up with the crazy troika: the horses are well-fed, strong, and lively.

Nekrasov

It was not for nothing that the Greek gods recognized the irresistible power of fate over themselves: fate was that dark boundary beyond which the consciousness of the ancients did not cross.

Belinsky

§ 162. A colon is placed between two sentences not connected by conjunctions if the first sentence contains verbs such as see, watch, hear, know, feel etc., a warning is given that what will follow is a statement of some fact or some description, for example:

And then the beacon keeper and the Kyrgyz assistant see: two boats are floating along the river.

A. N. Tolstoy

I crawled through the thick grass along the ravine, I saw: the forest ended, several Cossacks were leaving it into a clearing, and then my Karagöz jumped out straight to them...

Lermontov

Finally, we climbed Mount Gud, stopped and looked back: a gray cloud hung on it, and its cold breath threatened a nearby storm...

Lermontov

I know: in your heart there is both pride and direct honor.

Pushkin

Pavel feels that someone's fingers are touching his arm above the elbow.

N. Ostrovsky

But (without a hint of warning):

I hear the earth shake.

Nekrasov

§ 163. A colon is placed after a sentence introducing direct speech, in particular a direct question or exclamation, for example:

They were silent for two minutes, but Onegin approached her and said: “You wrote to me, don’t deny it.”

Pushkin

At the end of the work, Peter asked Ibrahim: “Do you like the girl with whom you danced the minuet at the last assembly?”

Pushkin

And I thought: “What a heavy and lazy fellow he is!”

Chekhov

Note. The group of sentences that contain direct speech should be distinguished from complex sentences with a subordinate clause: a comma is placed before the subordinate clause, as usual, and at the end of it - a sign required by the nature of the entire complex sentence, for example:

I thought about what a heavy and lazy fellow he was.

I tried to remember where I was on this day exactly a year ago.

Will he again remind you of what happened a year ago?

How hard it is to remember what happened on that terrible day!

* Comment from the portal editors

Hyphenated spelling of a compound conjunction somehowO (meaning "namely") should be considered obsolete. In the code “Rules of Russian spelling and punctuation. Complete academic reference book" (edited by V.V. Lopatin. M., 2006 and subsequent editions) in § 142 union something like that included in the list of function words that are written separately.

Even in the “Dictionary of the Russian Language” by S.I. Ozhegov, in the article AS it was stated: “Somehow - the same as namely. All enterprises, such as construction, textile, printing, are working normally».

Separate writing of a compound conjunction like t O allows you to distinguish it in writing from a pronominal adverb To A Who.

There are quite a large number of punctuation marks in the Russian language. Some are used to complete a sentence, others emphasize intonation and mood, and others divide a passage of text into logical parts. To understand why a colon is used, it is necessary to consider in what cases it is used.

Colon in simple sentences

First you need to remember that in most cases this sign is placed in complex sentences, with the exception of some points.

• In the Russian language there is such a thing as a “generalizing word”. For a better understanding, consider an example sentence: “There were tools on the table: a hammer, a drill, a saw and a jigsaw.” This sentence talks about the tools that are on the table, and then they are all listed. In this case, the word “tools” will be a general one. From here we get the first rule, which states that a colon must be placed after the generalizing word. To reinforce this, let’s give another example: “By tomorrow I definitely need to do my homework: biology, algebra and geography.”
• Headlines like “Ivanov: gamer and programmer” also include this sign. If we consider a specific rule, then the first part of the title should indicate the actor, some problem or place of action. The second part of the title gives specificity to the first. "The country's economy: further development."
• Let's say that there is no generalizing word, but there is an enumeration. In this case, the sign will also be placed, for example: “On the table were: telephone, keys and money.”

Colon in complex sentences

Cases of using this punctuation mark in complex constructions much more, but there is nothing difficult about it.

• Consider this example: “This morning my mother told me: “Don’t forget to stop by the store and buy milk.” This example contains direct speech, and if it comes after the words of the author, then a colon must be placed before it. Please note that if the sentence looks like this: “Go to the store and buy milk,” my mother told me,” then the colon will not be placed, since direct speech comes before the words of the author.
• Unionless complex sentences are unionless because they simply have no conjunctions: “Mom cleans the room, I do my homework.” This is a very simple sentence that does not require any punctuation except a comma. But what about this example: “Read more books: they will increase your vocabulary, teach you how to write and speak correctly.” Why is there a colon in this case? There is a rule that says: if the second part of a non-union complex sentence reveals the meaning of the first part or indicates the reason, then a colon is placed after the first part. The statement encourages reading books and further indicates the reason for the motivation. “The weather was very bad: it was raining and there was a strong wind,” is another good example for this rule.
• Another rule about placing this punctuation mark says that it must be placed between two simple sentences that are not connected by a conjunction, if the first contains verbs like “see”, “look”, “hear”, “know”, etc. Further. These words seem to hint at a further description of something. The rule sounds quite complicated, but in reality it’s the opposite. “I peered for a long time and finally understood: the shadows on the wall reminded me of a human silhouette.” “Walking down the street I hear someone calling me.” These two examples illustrate the rule perfectly.
• Words such as “namely”, “for example”, “by the way” require a colon after them. “Last year I visited all the major countries, namely China, the United States, Brazil and Indonesia.” Please note that without the expression “namely”, in this example the colon would still be inserted.

Is a colon necessary for indirect speech?

We have considered all cases in Russian when a colon is placed. I would like to focus special attention on direct speech. The fact is that in addition to it, indirect speech is also used, and they must be distinguished in order to put the correct punctuation mark.

• Mom told me: “I need to go to the store and buy milk.” Mom said we need to throw out the trash. The second sentence will be indirect speech. It can be easily determined by several conjunctions, such as “what”, “so that”, “when”, “why” and others. Indirect speech is a subordinate clause in a complex sentence and is not distinguished by a colon.

To summarize, we can say that The colon serves as a dividing punctuation mark, which is placed only in the middle of a simple sentence in the case of a generalizing word and enumeration. In a complex construction, this punctuation mark is necessary if there is a reason that explains the first part of the sentence, if there is direct speech, if there are clarifying words and verbs hinting at a further description of something.

Video

This video will help you understand when to use a colon in a sentence.