Do I Capitalize After a Colon?

Do you capitalize the word that comes directly after a colon? Sometimes you do; sometimes you don’t.  Here are the guidelines:

1. Do NOT capitalize the word after a colon if it doesn’t begin a complete sentence.

My dog knows these commands: sit, stay, and rollover. 

2. Do NOT capitalize the word after a colon if it begins a sentence that explains the words before the colon.

I like most of my classes at school: math is not one of them!

3. DO capitalize the word after a colon if it begins a sentence that needs emphasis.

Whenever I went out to play as a little kid my mother said this to me: Don’t you dare get into any fights.

4. DO capitalize the word after a colon if two or more sentences follow the colon.

I do three things every morning as soon as I get up: First, I put on the coffee. Next, I open all the shades. Finally, I feed the dog. 

5. DO capitalize the word after a colon if it begins a quote that is a sentence or more.

The mayor said this in his speech: “Our community is strong, and we will get through this crisis.”

6. DO capitalize the word after a colon if a short introductory word precedes the colon.

Remember: Take your second left to get to the freeway.

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Announcements:

Next week, we will have our second guest post by Audrey Kalman. She is an amazing writer, and you will love this post as much as you loved her first one.

The week after that (the last week of April), I will be at the Independent Book Publishers Association Conference in Orlando. I will either run a “Best Of” post or a post live from the conference. 

I am still collecting grammar goofs you hear on TV, or read in the newspaper or a book, or hear someone say. I have collected some real winners!  If you find one, please send it in the comments or to: info@bigwords101.com. I will do a future post about them.