When the second sentence explains or demonstrates anything in the first statement, use a colon instead of a semicolon or a period between the two sentences. If a colon is followed by two or more sentences, capitalize the first word of each sentence that follows. A list of things to include after a colon is called a "colon clause." In this example, the colon separates two ideas connected by “and”, but not necessarily by sentence structure. The ideas are unrelated and could have been separated by a comma. However, because they are part of one thought, we use a semi-colon instead. A colon can also be used when giving directions. For example, if you want someone to go north on Main Street and then turn right at Third Avenue, you would say: "Go north on Main Street, then turn right at Third Avenue." In conclusion, a colon is a mark used to separate ideas in a sentence or clause. Colon clauses help explain how to do something or what items belong together.