Colons

Use the colon to introduce a list, an explanatory statement, or a long quotation. To be grammatically accurate, the group of words in front of the colon should be able to stand as a complete sentence.

The following men were present at the board meeting: Smith, Jones, Williams, Brown, and Ford.
There's only one reason why the board voted to extend meeting hours: we need the extra rehearsal time for the show.
When asked about the reason why he resigned, Smith offered this explanation: "I've been spending too much time with Barbershopping and not enough time with my family. It's a no-win situation because I love both very much, but my family has to take top priority."

Stylistically, an editor might prefer to avoid using colons in the above situations and thereby simplify the writing. Consider how these examples become more direct by rephrasing without the use of a colon:

Smith, Jones, Williams, Brown, and Ford were present at the board meeting.
The board voted to extend meeting hours because we need the extra rehearsal time for the show.
When asked why he resigned, Smith replied, "I've been spending too much time ..."

When a list is written, a colon should never be used immediately following a verb.

INCORRECT: Those planning to attend are: John Jackson, Will Smith, and Fred Duplet.
CORRECT: Those planning to attend are John Jackson, Will Smith, and Fred Duplet.

OR
John Jackson, Will Smith, and Fred Duplet plan to attend.

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