Capitalize the first word of every sentence and the first word after the colon if that word begins a complete sentence.

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Multiple Choice

Capitalize the first word of every sentence and the first word after the colon if that word begins a complete sentence.

Capitalization after a colon follows a practical rule: if what comes after the colon starts a complete sentence, you capitalize its first word. Because every sentence begins with a capital letter, you treat the text after the colon as its own sentence when it stands alone. Therefore this statement is true. For example: She had one goal: Finish the report by noon. After the colon, Finish begins a new sentence, so it is capitalized. If what follows is merely a list or phrase, you would typically not capitalize the first word: She brought three colors: red, blue, and green. Some style guides vary on edge cases, but the described rule is widely taught and used in formal writing.

Capitalization after a colon follows a practical rule: if what comes after the colon starts a complete sentence, you capitalize its first word. Because every sentence begins with a capital letter, you treat the text after the colon as its own sentence when it stands alone. Therefore this statement is true. For example: She had one goal: Finish the report by noon. After the colon, Finish begins a new sentence, so it is capitalized. If what follows is merely a list or phrase, you would typically not capitalize the first word: She brought three colors: red, blue, and green. Some style guides vary on edge cases, but the described rule is widely taught and used in formal writing.

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