Question

Which sentences are correctly punctuated? Check all that apply.

Spencer needs to call: her grandmother, her best friend, and her aunt.
I tried several new foods on my trip: sushi, dragon fruit, and lychees.
Kavita used four different materials in her collage, paper, photos, beads: and shells.
Diego studies three kinds of dance: jazz, modern, and tap.
He will buy: seeds, potting soil, and a rake for the community garden.

Answer 1

Correct: sentences 2 and 4.

Brief notes:
- A colon can introduce a list when it follows a complete independent clause (sentences 2 and 4).
- Do not put a colon immediately after a verb or after a clause that already directly governs the list (sentences 1 and 5) — instead omit the colon.
- Sentence 3 misplaces the colon; it should come before the list, not before the final item.

Corrected versions:
- Spencer needs to call her grandmother, her best friend, and her aunt.
- Kavita used four different materials in her collage: paper, photos, beads, and shells.
- He will buy seeds, potting soil, and a rake for the community garden.