優秀作文必備：英文標點的正確使用(五)

六、Colons (:) 冒號

冒號在中文或英文裡都是一個相當常見的標點符號，在用法上也大致一樣。
注意：
* 冒號前不可有空格
* 冒號後可加一空格
* 冒號後千萬不要加- (如 :-)
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大家先來看看下面的例子，你以為句子中的冒號用法對嗎？

For our camping trip, I brought: a lantern, a sleeping bag, food, water, and
a flashlight.

如果你的答案是對，那你就錯了！這是一個常見的冒號用法上的錯誤。正確的用法，看
下去就會明白了。這裡且讓我們從最簡單的用法開始吧。
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6.1　冒號用在公函上收信人的稱呼

Dear Sir: (你看，冒號前沒有任何空格喔)

We were very honored to have you come visit our company.
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6.2　冒號用於分開標題和副標題(當一標題需要進一步說明時所加上的副標題)

1. Math Applications: Using Calculus to Determine the Age of Rocks
(標題Math Applications和副標題Using Calculus to Determine the Age of Rocks之
間以冒號隔開)

2. I recommend Chinnery's book Oak Furniture: the British Tradition. (Oak
Furniture是書名，the British Tradition是副標題)
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6.3　冒號必須加在完整句子或獨立子句之後

最常見的冒號用法上的錯誤就是將冒號放在完整句或獨立子句的中間。看看下面的例子
：

Every repairman must have: a screwdriver, a hammer, and a saw.

其中Every repairman must have是不是有完整的意思呢？顯然意思並不完整。因此句
子中的冒號是多餘的。如果要用冒號的話，上面句子應該寫成下面的樣子：

There are three things every repairman must have: a screwdriver, a hammer,
and a saw.

看看冒號前There are three things every repairman must have，它是不是有完整的
意思呢？“每一位修理員必備三樣東西”可見意思是完整的，雖然你還會問是哪三樣東
西呢？因此冒號後面就列出那三樣東西了。

現在我們知道在冒號前必須是的完整意思的句子或子句，跟冒號後的可不一定是個句子
或子句。它可能是一個列表，甚至可能只是一個單詞。因此前面舉的那個例子錯在哪裡
也就明白了吧。下面給出它的正誤句：

錯誤句：For our camping trip, I brought: a lantern, a sleeping bag, food,
water, and a flashlight.

正確句：For our camping trip, I brought various essential items: a lantern,
a sleeping bag, food, water, and a flashlight.
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6.3.1 一些例子

1. Africa is facing a terrifying problem: perpetual drought(持續乾旱). (冒號
後說明非洲所面對的困境)

2.　The situation is clear: if you have unprotected sex with a stranger, you
risk AIDS. (說明你的處境是什麼)

3.　She was sure of one thing: she was not going to be a housewife. (說明她
肯定的是什麼事)

4.　We found the place easily: your directions were perfect. (說明為什麼那么
容易找到那個地方)

5.　Several friends have provided me with inspiration: Tim, Ian, and above
all, Larry. (說明是哪幾個朋友)
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6.3.2　反過來也行

1.　Saussure, Sapir, Bloomfield, Chomsky: all these have revolutionized
linguistics in one way or another.
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6.4　冒號用於註明引用聖經的章節

1. The story of Menahem is found in II Kings 15:1422.
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6.5　冒號用於表示比例

1. Among students of French, women outnumber men by more than 4:1. (4:1=4比
1,用文字說就是by more than four to one)
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6.6　冒號用於表示時間(美國式)

1. 2:15 (兩點十五分) (英國式 2.15)
2. 11
30 (A)　(上午十一點三十分) (英國式 11.30 am)