Do you capitalize first word after colon

The rules for colons vary slightly based on which style guide you prefer. However, you can use our simplified guide below to help you spend less time Googling and more time writing.

When to Capitalize After a Colon

The rules for capitalization will vary depending on which style guide you use. However, there are some general guidelines that are universal regarding capitalization after a colon:

• Do not capitalize after a colon if you’re introducing a list.
• When a colon introduces an incomplete sentence, do not capitalize the first letter unless it is a proper noun.
• According to some style guides, you may capitalize the first letter following a colon if the colon introduces a complete sentence. Read on for more details.

Colons and British English

In British English, the first letter following a colon is only capitalized if it the word is a proper noun or an acronym.

In American English, however, there are several cases in which a letter should be capitalized after a colon.

Chicago Manual of Style

According to the Chicago Manual of Style, the first letter after a colon should be capitalized in the following cases:

• The first word after the colon is a proper noun
• The colon introduces 2 or more sentences
• The colon introduces speech in dialogue, a quotation, or a question

See the examples of each case below.

Examples

• He knew one thing for sure: Sharon had always stayed by his side, even in the most difficult of situations.
• Karen had very peculiar eating habits: She refused to eat anything green. She also had to drink carbonated water with every meal.
• Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises begins with an abrupt introduction to a key supporting character: “Robert Cohn was once middleweight boxing champion of Princeton.”

APA Style

Capitalization after a colon is a bit simpler if you’re following the rules of APA Style.

The guide mandates that a capital letter follow a colon only in 2 circumstances:

• The first word after the colon is a proper noun (see first example above)
• The colon introduces a complete sentence

Examples

• The room was completely bare: Aside from a single chair, there was nothing else inside.
• It rained for one week straight: The residents of the village stayed locked in their homes.

MLA

According to MLA format, the first letter following a colon should be capitalized if the colon introduces:

• A rule or principle
• Several related sentences
• A proper noun

Download our Capitalization after Colons Cheat Sheet for quick reference so you can write more efficiently.

More Rules for Colon Use

Besides capitalization, there are several other rules that regulate colon usage.

Read more about how to use a colon and examples of when to use a semicolon so you can make your writing more clear and efficient.

Which punctuation questions still have you stumped? Share them in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

• How to Use a Semicolon: Rules and Examples
• 9 Ways to Use a Colon: A No-Fear Guide to Correct Colon Usage
• How to Fix a Comma Splice: Examples and Quiz
• When to Write Out Numbers: What Chicago, APA, and MLA Say About Numerals

Kaelyn Barron

As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.

The AP Style rule is pretty simple: Capitalize the first word after a colon when it begins a complete sentence. I correct errors around colons all the time, so here’s a refresher!

When the first word after a colon introduces a fragment, list, or phrase that’s not a complete sentence, leave it lowercase. A few examples:

There were three considerations: expense, time, and feasibility.

She cared about only one thing: pasta.

The recipes dance through the African diaspora: cornbread with Aleppo pepper, tofu gnocchi with black garlic, spiced goat with sticky rice.

In 2008, when the scandal broke large, Detroit’s status in the national conversation was still as a cautionary tale: a formerly great city, now derelict and dangerous.

If it begins a full sentence/independent clause, capitalize it. That means any clause with a subject and a verb.

Not sure if your clause qualifies? Try changing the colon to a period and see if it still reads as a complete sentence.

A couple of recent examples:

Little says that the actual route of the community center is not as enjoyable: There are more turns, and the walkways are not as wide.

As someone who’s led countless walks in the neighborhood, I can attest to its allure: Since Manhattan narrows at its southern tip, you can walk coast to coast with little difficulty.

However, it’s simple enough to figure out why a mortgage would complicate the transaction: Banks currently aren’t counting people’s bitcoins.

In headlines, capitalize any word after a colon.

It’s April Fools’ Day on Sunday. Notice the apostrophe placement!

New additions to our word lists: Southeast Asia (capitalized as a region), Kalamata olive, whiskey/whiskeys (for American, Irish, and English whiskey), whisky whiskys (for Canadian, Japanese, and Scotch whisky), capital (the city where a seat of government is located), Capitol (the building in Washington; also used for state capitol buildings; capitalize when referring to a specific building), cheesesteak, pate, prosciutto di Parma, Fresno pepper, Tiki, Bolognese, auto body, auto-body shop, Airstream, brownfield, and greenfield.

Eater, I’ve been seeing some headline capitalization errors. Please take a look at this headline capitalization cheat sheet I made or plug your headlines into this tool (select Associated Press as your style).

In other news, an argument against hypercapitalization. What, exactly, is the mediopassive voice? (“The wine drinks well” is one example.) And Italo disco to edit to, as promised!