冒号是一个用途比较广泛的标点符号，主要用来表示语言中种种停顿和语气。表示停顿，其停顿时间比分号长比句号短，因而可用逗号，甚至用句号来代替。冒号也常用于引出一个词、短语或完整的句子来强调、举例解释或证明刚才所说过的内容。它告诉读者其后仍是对上文进一步的陈述。冒号有时还能产生经微的戏剧效果。本文拟就英语冒号的基本用法作一些归纳。
1.用于引出或提起 下文各项，用在说明或解释主句的从句、短语或同位语之前，也可用在强调上下文关系的词语，如as follows、the following、in the following manner之后，用来总结上文、提示下文、列举事项、解释或强调已叙述过的内容。冒号之后的词如果是另一个完整句子的开始，一般需用大写字母开头。如果冒号之后的词只是句子的一部分，则用小写字母开头。例如：
In a sense nouns can be divided into two kinds: the countable noun and the uncountable noun.
I want an assistant who can do the following: (1) input data, (2) write reports, and (3) complete tax forms.
The thought continued to perplex him: Where will I go next? There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.
You can’t count on him to help: he is such a busy man.
The results of the voting is as follows: The draft resolution is received unanimously, 15 votes in favor.
2．用在提示性话语之后，表示后面有要说的话、所想的内容或所作的分析。例如：
Read and act: Practise similar dialogues.
Always remember: “It is better to be safe than sorry.”
Which skill do you think was more important: his drawing for the inventions or his understanding of machines for her painting?
Find an English poem and write a review: Explain what the poem is about, what you think it means and what feelings you have when you read it.
EXAMPLE: When it comes to glory, much will be demanded by the foolish man; much will be offered to the wise one.
There are two general rules about adjectives’ order:
○ general before specific (a large Chinese vase)
○ opinion before description (a beautiful new car)
3. 用于总说性话语的后边，表示后面是分项说明或表示冒号前面的话引起后面的话。例如：
A newspaper outline usually includes: a headline, a list of main ideas and a list of important details.
The main events were as follows: first, the president’s speech,
secondly the secretary’s reply and thirdly the chairman’s summing-up.
In your report, give as much of the following information as you can:
. the name of the plant and its scientific name
. how big it grows, when it flowers, how it is pollinated, what its seeds look like
. The type of environment it lives in, e.g. rain-forest, desert
4. 用于引出行文中的人物对话、文本记录或录音稿。一般来说，换一个人说话要另起一个段落。例如：
(1) A: “The old house belongs to the Greens.”
B: “There’s nobody living in it now, is there?”
(2) Teacher: Why did you use a colon here?
Student: I thought it looked good.
(3) Jack: Turn off the light, Julia. It saves electricity.
Julia: Oh, I usually do that. I was just in a hurry.
5．用在书信、发言稿、演讲稿开头的称呼后面，通常用在不用引号的引语之前，有引起他人注意的意思。较长的引语与作者提示“某某说”之类的词语之间用冒号隔开，并以缩格或隔行的方式与文中其他部分隔开, 表示下文是引用语。例如：
Who, in your opinion, was more skillful: early navigators like the Vikings or modern navigators using computers? Why?
Before listening to the tape, look at the pictures of two graves: One of a rich man and the other of a poor man.
Is it written:
. in a formal or idiomatic way?
. in 1st or 3rd person?
. in present, past or future tense?
Our president enjoys quoting the first line of Lincoln's Gettysburg address:
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
6. 用在标题之后的停顿，引出和区别副标题。例如：
Learning strategy: HAVING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
Reading: Should I be allowed to make my own decisions?
Practical writing: letter of suggestion
High Risk: Children Without a Conscience
The greatest Navigational Journey: A lesson in survival Cloning: Where is it leading us?
7．美式英语时刻表示法中，用于区分时和分。例如：
The library is open on Saturday from 8:30 am to 10:00 am.
Sailing races will be held on the lake at 11:30 every Tuesday.
8．用于区分比例成分或在涉及赛事比分时用来区分两队比分。例如：
The basic ingredients are limestone and clay in the proportion 2:1. The ratio of applications to available places currently stands at 100:1.
China beat Japan 3:2 in the women’s volley ball tournament.
9. 用于新闻报道的报社名称后或用在英汉双解辞书注释中，尤其是汉语注释之后。例如：
New York: “I am surprised that soccer is not a popular sport in America,” David Beckham, a soccer star, said in an interview with Time Magazine.
Editor's Note: Most Chinese primary and middle schools require their students to wear uniforms for classes. Many students have
complained that the uniforms "kill" their personalities. Share your views on our website.
high-tech: of or involving highly specialized, complex technology.
for example例如；譬如：I know many women who have a career and a family — Alison for example.
10. 用于某些影视剧名中。例如：
Watch a movie that has a robot character in it, for example, 2001: A Space Odyssey; Al: Artificial Intelligence; Armitage: Dual Matrix.
通常情况下，冒号不能用在动词或介词及其宾语之后，也不能用于such as之后（宾语换行单列时除外）。
I like to play soccer, racquetball, and ice hockey.
The three soups we tried were bird’s nest, sweet and sour, and shark’s fin.
She was in charge of registration, cabin assignments, and clean-up. I enjoy playing physically demanding sports such as soccer,
racquetball, and ice hockey.