Capitalization After Colon

Question

Should the first word after a colon be capitalized?

"For example: This."

OR

"For example: this."

Answer 1

This can go either way. If you are starting a complete sentence that represents a summation of what came before, you are certainly entitled to capitalize the sentence.

Here's an example of such a sentence: There is a sentence after the preceding colon.

But if you are using the colon to offset a list or other material that does not form a complete sentence, it makes no sense to capitalize what follows:

Here are some examples of breakfast foods: eggs, bacon, toast, hash browns, orange juice, coffee.

Answer 2

The answer is culturally dependent. In English, we would not capitalise after a colon (unless the next word was a proper noun). However, it appears that in American English the rules are different... and different depending on whose style rules you are following.

For example, you may follow a colon with a capital if it follows with:

• a proper noun
• direct speech
• a complete sentence
• two complete sentences

See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colon_(punctuation)#Use_of_capitals