Colons and Semicolons.

1. This is a colon :

If you want to introduce a list, you use a colon.

This is what you need to go camping: one tent, a gas stove, board games, two saucepans, a kettle and a torch.

Only use a colon to introduce a list if it follows a main clause. If this sentence started with "you need", you wouldn't use a colon because that's not a main clause.

2. Colons are also handy for showing that you're about to explain a point you've just made.

Mr Fligginbottom was feeling very stupid: he'd forgotten to pack any trousers.

• The first part of the sentence needs to be a main…