In the example sentence, there needs to be a separation between the two clauses. A potential solution to this problem is to include a colon between the two clauses. Therefore, the best construction of the underlined portion is, "My least favorite chore is washing the dishes: it's simply unpleasant." A semicolon could also work here, but because the second clause explains the first a colon is more precise and equally grammatically correct.

You are only permitted to use a colon to separate clauses when the colon is placed where a period could also logically be placed. In other words, the clause prior to the colon MUST be a grammatically independent clause. In the sentence above, the colon is incorrect because you can't put a period after "Please forward all of my mail to." The best solution is to eliminate the colon altogether.

Colons are used to introduce lists, but they are not used to introduce ALL lists. You are only permitted to use a colon to separate clauses when the colon is placed where a period could also logically be placed. In other words, colons must be preceded by an independent In the sentence above, the colon is incorrect because you can't put a period after "I really hate going to the store and." Therefore, the best solution is to eliminate the colon.

The colon is correctly placed in the example sentence. It comes after an independent clause and introduces a list; however it is incorrect to capitalize the first letter after a colon (unless a capitalized quotation is being introduced).

A colon may be used in a sentence to separate a list of things from the rest of the sentence (so long as it follows an independent clause). "Rest:" is the best way to correct the underlined portion of the sentence above. Since "McCarthy, Bill, and Bradbury to name a few," is not an independent clause using a period or a semicolon in this situation would be incorrect.

A colon may be used to separate clauses in a sentence, but it may only be used where you would also be able to use a period (after an independent clause). The best way to write the sentence above is to delete the colon: "Please forward my correspondence to 1238 Drury Lane."

While a colon may be used to separate clauses in a sentence (including a list), it may only be used where you would also be able to use a period (after an independent clause). Colons should never come in the middle of a clause. The best way to write the sentence above is to delete the colon: "The hardest parts of being in high school are dealing with acne, dealing with girls, and getting up early."

A colon may be used in a sentence to separate a list of things from the rest of the sentence, or to preface a dependent clause that explains the main clause. A colon can, however, never be placed in the middle of a clause, as it is here. The correct answer here is to eliminate the colon.

Colons are used to introduce lists or information that directly follows from a dependent clause. "When you curse like that" is not an independent clause; it cannot stand on its own as a complete sentence. The colon is inappropriate in this sentence and should be changed into a comma.

Colons serve two main purposes. The first is to precede a list of three or more things in a sentence, and the second is to join two clauses of a sentence, where the first clause is an independent main clause, and the second clause defines or explains the first clause. For the first purpose, however, you should avoid using a colon after a verb or a preposition. The best way to correct the sentence above is to delete the colon.