Yes, I know it is probably a bit odd to have a favorite punctuation mark. It’s probably even stranger not to choose an illustrious piece of end punctuation. Nope. My favorite appears in the middle of a sentence – or perhaps a bit toward the latter half. I just love well placed colons!
The colon is like a red flag for the reader to pay close attention to the information coming. A colon is used for two purposes.
1. It can be used before presenting a list in a sentence.
I like all Italian food: pasta, lasagna, and bruschetta.
2. It can also be used after an independent clause to draw attention to information that comes after it and further explains it.
I like all Italian food: it reminds me of my grandmother.
A well placed colon packs a punch mid sentence and makes the reader stop and take notice. After all, isn’t it the writer’s job to make an impact on the reader?