Learn English – Colon use when introducing a list split across sentences

colonlistspunctuation

I understand that a colon should be used to introduce a list:

We required three ingredients: eggs, milk and butter.

However, what happens if there is a full stop between list elements?

We required three ingredients: firstly eggs, to provide a nice eggy flavour. Secondly milk, for all its milky goodness. Finally we required flour, to bind it all together.

Is this a correct way to use a colon? Does the rest of the list punctuation make sense?

Best Answer

At the risk of appearing old-fashioned, it is certainly acceptable to use a colon to introduce a list split across sentences. Just be sure to start the first sentence with a capital letter:

We required three ingredients: Firstly, eggs, to provide a nice eggy flavour. Secondly, milk, for all its milky goodness. Finally, we required flour, to bind it all together.

In modern writing, first and second are preferred. The full-stops (or periods) would also give way to semi-colons:

We required three ingredients: first, eggs, to provide a nice eggy flavour; second, milk, for all its milky goodness; finally, we required flour[,] to bind it all together.

For succinctness, first, second and finally, we required are best removed, as they make the whole sentence rather wordy. Thus:

We required three ingredients: eggs, to provide a nice eggy flavour; milk, for all its milky goodness; and flour, to bind it all together.

You may notice I played around with the commas. That could also be considered a matter of style, but I tend to be fastidious with regard to comma punctuation.

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