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Punctuation Congo

Suggest improvements for the highlighted problem area:

Dear Principal Mirumbi;

Please excuse Ajaja from school next week. He will be joining me on a tour of the Congo River. I am confident he will keep up with his school work, he has already written a schedule for studying during the trip.

Our plan is to make a film documentary about three natural wonders of the Congo; Boyoma Falls, Malebo Pool, and the great cataracts above Matadi. Ajaja has already come up with a name for the film. He calls it On the Congo, Adventures of the World-Renowned Naturalist Ajaja Olatunji. I am sure his classmates will enjoy viewing the film after we return.

Respectfully yours,

Babatunde Olatunji

Answer:

- The Colon -

When a series of things is being formally introduced, we again use the colon. Our opening paragraph has an error in this respect:

    Our plan is to make a film documentary about three natural wonders of the Congo; Boyoma Falls, Malebo Pool, and the great cataracts above Matadi.

The correct introduction includes the colon where it effectively substitutes for the phrase as follows:

    Our plan is to make a film documentary about three natural wonders of the Congo: Boyoma Falls, Malebo Pool, and the great cataracts above Matadi.

 

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