16Hit1600
Standard English ConventionsEasy–MediumColon before a short list

Standard English Conventions practice question

The shopping list had only two ____ bread and milk.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A. items:Correct
  2. B. items;
  3. C. items,
  4. D. items

Answer: A. items:

A colon introduces the list after a complete sentence.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. items;
A semicolon does not introduce a list.
C. items,
A comma blurs the list into the sentence.
D. items
No separation.

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