Is a Word after a Colon Capitalized?
Summary
Don’t capitalize a word after a colon within a sentence.
- Lulu wants just one thing for her birthday: chocolate.
- We all have a favorite place: somewhere we are happiest.
When two sentences or independent clauses are joined by a colon, the second sentence or clause is generally not capitalized.
- Maya loves old books: they have character.
Note that this is a matter of style: the AP Stylebook and APA Publication Manual recommend capitalizing an independent clause after a colon; the Chicago Manual of Style suggests lowercasing it.
- Correct: AP, APA: The policy is clear: Data must be kept secure.
Correct: Chicago: The policy is clear: data must be kept secure.
Capitalize a question introduced by a colon.
- We all had the same question: Where was the money?
If more than one complete sentence follows a colon, capitalize all the sentences.
- The policies are clear: Data must be kept secure. It must be retrievable. It should be erased at the owner’s request.
Capitalize a subtitle separated from the main title by a colon.
- Forgotten: A Memoir
What is a colon?
A colon is a punctuation mark used to explain, illustrate, and elaborate. It directs the reader’s attention to the information that follows.
- Anita is a great friend: she is always there for you.
- There are two ways to bake a cake: bake from scratch or use a cake mix.
- Look at that: a talking cat!
- Which tea would you like: black, green, or white?
- Maya loves airports: she enjoys having nothing to do but read a book and watch people come and go.
In this article, we discuss whether a word after a colon should be capitalized. Note that capitalization is a matter of style rather than grammar. Discussed here are accepted guidelines for capitalization after a colon in academic, business, and creative writing.
Within a sentence
Don’t capitalize a word after a colon within a sentence. In a sentence, a colon is used to introduce explanatory information that helps illustrate or amplify an idea.
- We had forgotten something important: the cake.
- Where do you want to go on holiday: the mountains or the sea?
- Farley needs just one thing to win: luck.
- I believe people can change: that a person can choose a future different from their past.
- It was a whirlpool: a swirling mass of water thirsty for more.
- Don’t forget to bring three things: binoculars, mittens, and a book.
Here are examples from published writing that show how a colon can be used to amplify a statement. Note how the word after a colon within a sentence is not capitalized but lowercased.
She was learning, quite late, what many people around her appeared to have known since childhood: that life can be perfectly satisfying without major achievements.
— Alice Munro, “Too Much Happiness,” Harper’s Magazine (August 2009)Know that diamonds and roses are as uncomfortable when they tumble from one’s lips as toads and frogs: colder, too, and sharper, and they cut.
— Neil Gaiman, Fragile Things (2006)
Sentence after a colon
When a colon is used to join two sentences, the word after the colon is generally not capitalized. A colon may be used between two independent clauses to indicate that the second clause amplifies or explains the first. (An independent clause is one that can stand by itself as a sentence.)
- No one got hurt: that’s all that matters.
The second sentence, attached to the first by a colon, need not be capitalized.
- It came to her: life is growth.
- When Maya feels anxious, she reminds herself: all things are possible.
- It was over: there was nothing more to do.
- It’s easy: just mix it all together and bake.
- I may have overwatered the plants: they have all turned brown.
Note however that it is not wrong to capitalize a sentence or clause after a colon. Some style manuals, such as the AP Stylebook and APA Publication Manual, recommend capitalizing an independent clause after a colon. Others, like the Chicago Manual of Style, suggest lowercasing it. Whichever style you choose, follow it consistently across your document.
- Correct: AP, APA: The principal’s stance is clear: No one is allowed to bend the rules.
Correct: Chicago: The principal’s stance is clear: no one is allowed to bend the rules.
Here are some examples from literature that illustrate how a sentence or clause after a colon is generally not capitalized.
Happily, the architect had foresight to build it strong: the narrow windows are deeply set in the wall, and the corners defended with large jutting stones.
— Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights (1847)The magician and the politician have much in common: they both have to draw our attention away from what they are really doing.
— Ben Okri, A Way of Being Free (1997)That’s why we can go so fast: our souls don’t weigh us down.
— Margaret Atwood, The Tent (2006)
A colon is easily misused. Don’t use a colon between two clauses unless the second clause explains or amplifies the first one.
- This is what Maya finally realized: it was a sudden sense of enlightenment.
The colon is used incorrectly: the second clause doesn’t explain the first.This is what Maya finally realized: she was as much the universe as the stars in the sky.The second clause tells us what Maya realized. A colon is now appropriate.
A colon may be used after a word or a phrase to describe or explain it. This helps emphasize the explanation and focus the reader’s attention on it. In such a description, don’t capitalize the first word of the clause that follows the colon.
- Luck: that is all we need.
- Books, sun, and the sea: we had all we needed for a perfect holiday.
Multiple sentences after a colon
When a series of two or more sentences is introduced by a colon, capitalize all the sentences, including the first one.
- Farley had a choice: He could invest the money in safe securities. He could put it in the bank. Or he could spend it all on a holiday.
- What we sell is not a holiday: It is a dream. It is a journey into the unknown. It is an experience you will never forget (if you survive it).
- My cat has superpowers: She can vanish into thin air. She can appear out of nowhere. And she can turn into a hot-water bottle.
Questions
Capitalize a question introduced by a colon.
- Before we continue, I have to know: Are you sure?
- Please tell me: Did you find the CDs?
- Everybody was asking the same question: Where was Farley?
- The thought occurred to her: What if she was wrong?
Quotations
Capitalize a direct quote after a colon. A colon is sometimes used in place of a comma to introduce direct speech or a quotation. The colon helps place emphasis on the quoted text.
- Beauvoir said what each of us knows: “I have only myself.”
- She negates this idea: “Life does not require meaning or purpose; it requires only that you live.”
Quotation marks are sometimes omitted—for example, to introduce a thought. Still capitalize the word after the colon.
- She wondered: Was it all for nothing?
- He thought: If either of the marbles is blue, I can still win.
- Farley yelled: Run!
Lists
Don’t capitalize the elements of a horizontal list if they are words or phrases rather than complete sentences.
- Here is what you need: eggs, butter, and flour.
- We need emergency supplies: (1) blankets, (2) food packets, (3) water bottles, (4) medicines.
If the individual elements that follow a colon in a horizontal list are complete sentences in themselves, capitalize them all.
- We have three choices: We can look for a way out. We can call for help. Or we can just stay here and eat all the sandwiches.
- Follow these steps: (1) Stand on one foot. (2) Count to ten. (3) Press the red button.
Capitalize each element in a vertical list introduced by a colon.
- To perform this magic trick, you need the following items:
- A top hat
- A magic wand
- A red cape
- A friendly rabbit
- To be a writer, you need just three things:
- A magic pen
- An imagination
- Luck
In a vertical list, if the sequence or number of items is important, use numbers; otherwise, use bullets.
If a vertical list is laid out as one complete sentence, the points in the list are not capitalized. Such a list is not introduced by a colon either.
- In the chest we found
- an empty bottle,
- a broken compass, and
- a bag of gold coins.
- For your tarp tent you need
- two trees, ten feet apart;
- a guyline;
- four pegs, either plastic or metallic, depending on terrain;
- patience.
Capitalize all the points in a list introduced by a colon if they are complete sentences.
- Follow these steps:
- Clean your countertop with a solution of equal parts vinegar and water.
- Break two eggs in a bowl.
- Add salt, pepper, and any other condiments you find lying about.
- Beat vigorously.
- Pour into a pan, and cook for five minutes.
- Flip expertly, like chefs do on TV.
- Pick up bits of egg from the countertop, and put back into pan.
- Cook for another five minutes, and serve.
Titles and subtitles
Capitalize a word that follows a colon in a title. The first word of a subtitle or subheading separated from the main title or heading by a colon is always capitalized.
- With Love: A Collection of Letters
- Saki: The Complete Works
- Dear Life: Stories
- Glint: Tales of Darkness and Light
- Handbook of Bioenergy Crops: A Complete Reference to Species, Development and Applications
Definitions and descriptions
In a glossary of terms, a definition after a colon is usually capitalized.
- Nasi lemak: Fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf.
- Ramen: Quick-cooking noodles.
- Banana cue: Deep-fried bananas coated in caramelized sugar.
The definitions in a glossary can also be lowercased and set off without the use of a colon by using indentation or other formatting and typesetting options.
In a list of abbreviations, capitalize the full form only if it would be capitalized in text (for example, if it is a proper noun). Don’t use periods.
- NATO: North Atlantic Treaty Organization
- SAARC: South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
- PFA: please find attached
- SGS: small green space