John H  +  308360 Fri, 29 Dec 06 04:57 AM If you have the following two paragraphs... - I was amazed to see him there.  He frowned at me, then spoke: "I told you not to come here." - Since it is two separate paragraphs, would it be a . instead of a colon after spoke? John H Joined on Sun, Aug 20 2006 New Member 11 Colons, Paragraphs

	M. Caliban  +  308364 Fri, 29 Dec 06 05:10 AM Unless you have a specific stylistic reason, you shouldn't be using colons to indicate dialogue. This example is better: I was amazed to seem him there. He frowned at me then said, "I told you not to come here."     A colon is typically only used when beginning a large block of preformated text, such as lyrics or poetry. In his poem "Mending Wall," Robert Frost questions the building of barriers and walls: Before I built a wall I'd ask to know What I was walling in or walling out, And to whom I was like to give offense.   M. Caliban Joined on Wed, Dec 27 2006 Junior Member 52 Me speak not good English? That's unpossible! Colons, Whom, Paragraphs

	John H  +  308399 Fri, 29 Dec 06 08:19 AM Thank you for your reply.  So the following examples are incorrect? However, there was nothing else I could do. I prayed silently: “Lord, please don’t let all it happen like this.... and I looked down at the paper, scanning over the few paragraphs on it. It read as follows: I am.... and At such times, I would remember one of my favorite scriptures: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. John H Colons, Paragraphs

	Grammar Geek  +  308504 Fri, 29 Dec 06 04:12 PM With a direct quote (using the "  " marks), use the comma, at least in U.S. style. She said, "Aren't you coming with me?" Your second two examples are not direct quotes, so the colon is okay. Grammar Geek Joined on Tue, Jan 10 2006 Veteran Member 19,683 Barbara, who answers in American English. My housekeeping skills attest to the truth of the second law of thermodynamics: Left to themselves, things get more and more random! Colons, Commas, Paragraphs

	John H  +  308660 Sat, 30 Dec 06 07:43 AM Thank you for your reply. However, I am curious, you are saying it is correct to put a comma at the end of a paragraph? John H Colons, Commas, Paragraphs

	Grammar Geek  +  308863 Sat, 30 Dec 06 04:56 PM No, you don't put a comma on the end of a paragraph. You attach the direct quote directly after the comma, without starting a new paragraph for that quote. The next person to talk gets a new paragraph. Jenny was confused, and asked, "What do you mean?" "I mean, there's no need for the colon," I replied. "Oh," she said, "I get it now." I was relieved, and answered, "I'm glad we agree." Grammar Geek Colons, Commas, Paragraphs

	John H  +  308985 Sun, 31 Dec 06 02:07 AM I see what you mean, and I don't mean to be picky, but I was thinking more of situations where you have a preceeding paragraph, which at the end, ends with the sentence.  I sat there in anticipation of how she might respond. Perhaps I had pushed her too far, destroying my chances of the relationship I so desperately sought. She looked at me, then spoke. "I've always thought that about you," she said, meekly. In such a situation as that, isn't it proper to have it separate paragraphs?  And if so, should it be a . or a :? thanks! John H Colons, Paragraphs

	Grammar Geek  +  309007 Sun, 31 Dec 06 05:06 AM In that situation, you would start a new paragraph, or rewrite slightly. ... She looked at me, then said meekly, "I've always thought that..." Grammar Geek Colons, Paragraphs

	John H  +  309011 Sun, 31 Dec 06 05:13 AM Yes, so my question was, if you choose the former, to start a new paragraph which begins with the dialog, would the last sentence in the paragraph before the dialog end with a colon, or are you saying you need to start the next paragraph with that last sentence?  I'd prefer to use it as the last sentence in the preceeding paragraph, so is that grammatically acceptable, and if so, a colon or a .? John H Colons, Paragraphs