Should I say “I only have one distinct memory from the movie, that of a scene where …”, or would it work without the that of? If it wouldn’t work without the that of, what if I replace the comma with a colon? Would it be ok then?
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'that' is a pronoun, that = memory. 'I have a memory of a scene...'. A colon would be inappropriate here.– MitchCommented Jan 20, 2013 at 22:15
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Thanks. How about an em dash instead of the comma, would that work (i.e., would it allow me to leave out the "that of")?– erthaCommented Jan 20, 2013 at 22:24
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2 Answers
It would work with or without the that of.
If the bit after the comma was an independent clause (it could be a sentence on its own), then a colon could be used.
You can also jump straight into the description with, e.g.:
I only have one distinct memory from the movie, Maggie Gyllenhaal turning to look over her shoulder with a perfect expression of shocked outrage stifled by uncertainty.
I only have one distinct memory from the movie: Maggie Gyllenhaal turns to look over her shoulder with a perfect expression of shocked outrage stifled by uncertainty.
answered Jan 20, 2013 at 22:56
You might want to replace "I only have one" with "My only..."
My only distinct memory from the movie is Bingley's proposal to Elizabeth.
Otherwise, a colon is a good option:
I only have one distinct memory from the movie: a scene where...
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1Thanks, I'll consider that, too, and see how it fits with the rest of the paragraph. (The colon is a typo, I assume?)– erthaCommented Jan 21, 2013 at 1:00
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@ertha Actually, I meant "colon," not semicolon. Sorry for the misleading typo. Commented Jan 23, 2013 at 0:16