Which sentence correctly uses a colon to introduce a list?

• A. She bought three items: apples, oranges, and bananas.
• B. She bought three items apples, oranges, and bananas.
• C. She bought three items; apples, oranges, and bananas.
• D. She bought three items - apples, oranges, and bananas.

Answer: (A)

Introducing a list after a complete statement is done with a colon. In this sentence, the part “She bought three items” stands alone, and a colon signals that what follows will be that exact list of items. The items after the colon are not capitalized because they’re list items, not new complete sentences.

Other punctuations here don’t set up the list as cleanly. Without any punctuation, the list blends into the sentence and isn’t clearly introduced. A semicolon is typically used to join two independent clauses or to separate items in a complex list, not to introduce a simple list after a single statement. A dash can be used for emphasis or informal style, but it’s less standard for introducing a list; the colon is the clear, conventional choice.