冒號的作用是詳細說明內容,通常後面會列舉一系列的事物,示範或說明先前提過的事物。
舉例
- There are many reasons for poor written communication: lack of planning, poor grammar, misuse of punctuation marks, and insufficient vocabulary.
- He collected a strange assortment of items: bird's eggs, stamps, bottle tops, string, and buttons.
- Peter had an eclectic taste in music: latin, jazz, country and western, pop, blues, and classical.
- He had just one fault: an enormous ego.
在時間的寫法上,會用冒號來分開時與分。
舉例
- 4:15 = "four fifteen"
- 6:45 = "six forty-five"