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A colon is used to divide a sentence when the second part explains or elaborates on what has gone before: They have put forward a different theory: the phenomenon may be caused by movements within the earth's crust. It is also used to introduce a list or sometimes a quotation: You will need the following equipment: a rucksack, waterproof clothing, strong walking boots, and a map.Martin Luther King wrote in Chaos or Community (1967): "A riot is at bottom the language of the unheard." A colon sometimes separates numbers, e.g., in Biblical references, ratios, and clock times: Genesis 13:8;a ratio of 6:4;the train that departs at 17:42. When a colon is followed by a full sentence, the first word is often capitalized.
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