Colons (Dấu hai chấm)
Can-Do Objective: I can use colons to introduce lists and follow formal greetings in business letters.
(Tôi có thể sử dụng dấu hai chấm để giới thiệu các danh sách và đi sau lời chào trang trọng trong thư doanh nghiệp.)
(Tôi có thể sử dụng dấu hai chấm để giới thiệu các danh sách và đi sau lời chào trang trọng trong thư doanh nghiệp.)
1. Key Vocabulary (Từ vựng trọng tâm)
| Word & POS | Definition (English) | Translation & Example (Vietnamese) |
|---|---|---|
| item noun | A single thing that is part of a list. | món đồ, vật phẩm “I forgot to buy one item on my shopping list.” |
| greeting noun | A polite word or sign of welcome in a letter. | lời chào “Use a colon after a formal greeting in a business letter.” |
| business noun | Related to professional work or trade. | công việc/kinh doanh “She sent a business letter to the new manager.” |
| formal adjective | Serious and official. | trang trọng, chính thức “We need to use formal language in this report.” |
| introduce verb | To bring something into notice for the first time. | giới thiệu “Use a colon to introduce a list of items.” |
| required adjective | Needed or necessary. | cần thiết/bắt buộc “These tools are required to fix the bicycle.” |
| supplies noun | Things that are needed for a particular purpose. | đồ dùng, nhu yếu phẩm “We bought school supplies: pens, paper, and folders.” |
| following adjective | Coming after or next. | sau đây, kế tiếp “Please answer the following questions on the board.” |
2. Grammar Explanations (Ngữ pháp)
Point 1: Colons to Introduce a List
Use a colon to introduce a list of items, especially after a complete sentence or phrases like “the following”.
(Sử dụng dấu hai chấm để giới thiệu một danh sách các món đồ, đặc biệt sau một câu hoàn chỉnh hoặc các cụm từ như “the following” – sau đây.)
[Complete sentence] : [item 1], [item 2], and [item 3].
Examples:
- I need to buy three things: milk, bread, and eggs.
- The following students must stay: John, Sarah, and Mike.
- Pack these supplies for the trip: a tent, a sleeping bag, and a flashlight.
Point 2: Colons in Formal Greetings
In formal business letters, use a colon instead of a comma after the greeting to establish a professional tone.
(Trong các thư kinh doanh trang trọng, hãy sử dụng dấu hai chấm thay vì dấu phẩy sau lời chào để thể hiện sắc thái chuyên nghiệp.)
Dear [Name or Title] :
Examples:
- Dear Mr. President:
- To Whom It May Concern:
- Dear Human Resources Manager:
3. Practice Exercises (Bài tập thực hành)
Exercise 1
Vocabulary Matching (Nối từ vựng với định nghĩa phù hợp)
- 1. supplies
- 2. formal
- 3. item
- 4. introduce
- 5. required
- 6. greeting
- A single thing that is part of a list
- Serious and official
- Things that are needed for a purpose
- A polite word or sign of welcome in a letter
- To bring something into notice first time
- Needed or necessary
? Click to see Answer Key & Explanation (Đáp án & Giải thích)
1 – C: ‘Supplies’ means things needed for a purpose (đồ dùng, nhu yếu phẩm).
2 – B: ‘Formal’ means serious and official (trang trọng, chính thức).
3 – A: ‘Item’ is a single thing in a list (một món đồ trong danh sách).
4 – E: ‘Introduce’ means to bring into notice for the first time (giới thiệu).
5 – F: ‘Required’ means needed or necessary (cần thiết, bắt buộc).
6 – D: ‘Greeting’ is a polite sign of welcome in a letter (lời chào trong thư).
Exercise 2
Gap Fill (Điền từ vựng thích hợp vào chỗ trống)
Word bank: formal / required / items / business / introduce / following
- 1. Please bring the ___________ tools to the workshop: a hammer, a saw, and safety glasses.
- 2. We need to buy several ___________ for the office party: cups, plates, and napkins.
- 3. The manager always uses a ___________ tone when writing to new clients.
- 4. Can you help me write this ___________ letter to the bank director?
- 5. Teachers often use a colon to ___________ a list of classroom rules.
- 6. The ___________ students must report to the main office: Tom, Anna, and David.
? Click to see Answer Key & Explanation (Đáp án & Giải thích)
1. required: “Required tools” means necessary tools (những dụng cụ cần thiết).
2. items: “Several items” refers to multiple things on a list (vài món đồ).
3. formal: “Formal tone” represents serious and official speech (giọng điệu trang trọng).
4. business: “Business letter” refers to a professional letter (thư thương mại/công việc).
5. introduce: “Introduce a list” means to bring the list into notice (giới thiệu một danh sách).
6. following: “The following students” means the students coming next in the list (những học sinh sau đây).
Exercise 3
Multiple Choice Punctuation (Chọn câu điền dấu đúng)
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1. Choose the correct formal business greeting:
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2. Which sentence introduces a list correctly?
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3. Select the correct sentence layout:
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4. Choose the correct greeting layout for a general recipient:
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5. Find the correct punctuation for listing people:
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6. Choose the correct business layout:
? Click to see Answer Key & Explanation (Đáp án & Giải thích)
1. B: In professional/business letters, a colon (:) is used after greetings instead of a comma.
2. A: The colon must come after the full complete sentence that introduces the items.
3. B: “The following supplies:” perfectly sets up a list after a complete introductory phrase.
4. A: “To Whom It May Concern:” is a classic formal business greeting ending in a colon.
5. A: The colon is correctly placed after the noun phrase “our partners” to introduce who they are.
6. A: Direct title greetings shouldn’t have commas inserted randomly; just the title followed by a colon.
Exercise 4
True or False (Đúng hay Sai)
State whether the use of colons in the sentences is True (T) or False (F).
- 1. ______ “Dear Mr. Jones,” is the preferred format for an official formal business letter greeting.
- 2. ______ “You need to bring: a laptop, a notebook, and a pen.” is correctly punctuated.
- 3. ______ Colons can be used right after phrases like “the following:” to signal an upcoming list.
- 4. ______ “To Whom It May Concern:” uses correct formal punctuation.
- 5. ______ A colon should always be placed right after a verb like “are” or “include” when listing things.
- 6. ______ “The required items are: soap, shampoo, and a towel.” is grammatically perfect.
? Click to see Answer Key & Explanation (Đáp án & Giải thích)
1. False (F): Business letter greetings should use a colon (:) rather than a comma (,).
2. True (T): It follows a complete independent clause introducing the required list of items.
3. True (T): “The following” is one of the most common expressions designed to introduce lists with a colon.
4. True (T): This is the standard, traditional punctuation mark for general business letter openers.
5. False (F): Do not separate a verb from its objects with a colon (e.g., avoid writing “The items are: A, B, and C”).
6. False (F): It is incorrect to put a colon directly after the verb “are”. It should be “The required items are soap, shampoo, and a towel” without a colon.
Exercise 5
Sentence Reordering (Sắp xếp lại câu chứa dấu hai chấm)
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1. three items / We / paper, pens, and tape / ordered : / .
Your answer: __________________________________________________________________ -
2. Dear / Director / Human Resources / : / .
Your answer: __________________________________________________________________ -
3. the following assets / bought / laptop, a mouse, and a keyboard / The business : / a / .
Your answer: __________________________________________________________________ -
4. formal / requires / dress code / suits, ties, and dresses / The : / .
Your answer: __________________________________________________________________ -
5. introduce / two things / I / my name and my project / want to : / .
Your answer: __________________________________________________________________ -
6. languages / Speak / fluent / three : / English, Vietnamese, and French / .
Your answer: __________________________________________________________________
? Click to see Answer Key & Explanation (Đáp án & Giải thích)
1: We ordered three items: paper, pens, and tape. (Chúng tôi đã đặt ba mặt hàng: giấy, bút và băng keo.)
2: Dear Human Resources Director: (Kính gửi Giám đốc Nhân sự:)
3: The business bought the following assets: a laptop, a mouse, and a keyboard. (Doanh nghiệp đã mua các tài sản sau: máy tính xách tay, chuột và bàn phím.)
4: The formal dress code requires: suits, ties, and dresses. (Quy định trang phục trang trọng yêu cầu: bộ comple, cà vạt và váy dài.)
5: I want to introduce two things: my name and my project. (Tôi muốn giới thiệu hai điều: tên của tôi và dự án của tôi.)
6: Speak three fluent languages: English, Vietnamese, and French. (Nói trôi chảy ba ngôn ngữ: Tiếng Anh, Tiếng Việt và Tiếng Pháp.)
Exercise 6
Grammar Selection (Chọn câu viết đúng cấu trúc ngữ pháp hoàn chỉnh)
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1. Identify the correct sentence structure:
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2. Identify the correct formal letter layout:
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3. Identify the sentence that correctly introduces details:
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4. Which layout represents an official business greeting?
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5. Select the sentence with proper list introduction structure:
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6. Identify the correct list structure:
? Click to see Answer Key & Explanation (Đáp án & Giải thích)
1. B: Option B provides a full independent clause before the colon (“You must buy these supplies:”).
2. A: “Dear Sir or Madam:” is standard, neat business punctuation with no commas mid-clause.
3. A: Avoid putting colons directly after the verb “includes”. Option A correctly fixes this using “the following items:”.
4. A: Standard professional salutations use a clean format followed directly by a colon.
5. A: Option A includes a complete thought structure before introducing the specific tools.
6. A: Placing the colon after “instructions” clearly frames the direct list that follows.
