Pattern #1 Compound Sentence

with explanatory statement

separated by a colon(:)
GENERAL STATEMENT (IDEA) : SPECIFIC
STATEMENT (EXAMPLE).
There are times you will want to join two independent clauses (IC) together when the
second clause acts to explain or expand on some idea only vaguely explained in the
first clause. You can do this by combining the two sentences together with a colon (:).
The colon (:) is a punctuation mark with a special function: It signals to the reader that
something important or explanatory will follow. In this pattern, the first independent
clause contains a word or idea that needs to be explained and the second clause gives
some more specific information or example to elaborate on that idea.

For example:

Independent clause (IC) Independent clause (IC)

Investments require this rule : research them thoroughly.

One important point to note with this sentence pattern is that some writers will capitalize
the first word in the second clause after the colon.

In this case, the word ‘rule’ in the first independent clause was just mentioned in a
vague, general way so the writer used a colon to signal that more information would be
provided in the second clause directly after the colon. The second clause then made the
first clause clear in terms of what ‘rule’ was required in investments.

For example:

Independent clause (IC) Independent clause (IC)

Investments require this rule : research them thoroughly.

Investments require this rule : Research them thoroughly.

Both of these examples are correct. Whether you choose to capitalize the first word of
the second clause after the colon is simply a matter of personal taste and style.
Regardless of your choice, you should be consistent in this usage throughout any
document. If you choose to capitalize the first word of the second clause when using this
pattern in a document, be sure to use this type of capitalization if you create this
sentence pattern again in your document.

Remember, a compound sentence with an explanatory clause is similar to other

compound sentence constructions in terms of structure, but is very different in terms of
function. This sentence pattern must have a second independent clause that in some
way expands or explains an idea from the first independent clause. This pattern should
not be used with a colon unless the second clause is related to the first.

Here are some more examples:

Our office manager lives by a simple rule: he fires any employee who leaves the
office before him.

Starting my own business taught me one important thing: organization is

imperative!

Don’t forget the old saying: be careful what you wish for because you may actually
get it.