Punctuation

Congo

Suggest improvements for the highlighted problem areas: Dear Principal Mirumbi; Please excuse Ajaja from school next week. He will be joining me on a tour of the Congo River. I am confident he will keep up with his school work, he has already written a schedule for studying during the trip. Our plan is to make a film documentary about three natural wonders of the Congo; Boyoma Falls, Malebo Pool, and the great cataracts above Matadi. Ajaja has already come up with a name for the film. He calls it On the Congo, Adventures of the World-Renowned Naturalist Ajaja Olatunji. I am sure his classmates will enjoy viewing the film after we return. Respectfully yours, Babatunde Olatunji Answer: - The Colon - Our opening paragraph shows another place to use a colon: He calls it On the Congo, Adventures of the World-Renowned Naturalist Ajaja Olatunji. We should always use a colon to separate a title from a subtitle: He calls it On the Congo: Adventures of the World-Renowned Naturalist Ajaja Olatunji. - Other uses of the colon - The colon can also be used to introduce a word or expression when the colon substitutes for the phrase as a result: The camera worked flawlessly: the film was a success. Another use of the colon is to formally introduce a quote: The beauty of the river reminded Ajaja of a statement by his father: "I can imagine, therefore I can be more." In a notation of time, separate hours from minutes with a colon: We arrived at Boyoma Falls at 10:30 A.M. When we identify a chapter and verse from scripture we also use a colon: When Ajaja saw how abundantly the Congo watered the plains of Africa, he remembered Genesis 13:10 and quoted Lot: "It is like the Garden of the Lord."

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