After a colon, is the 1st word capitalized? MS Word capitalizes it.?

Answer 1

It depends what follows the colon. If it's a list within the same line as the sentence, and the first word is not a proper noun, then it should not be capitalized. If Word is telling you it should be the Word is just flat out wrong. Wouldn't be the first time. If the colon is followed by a complete sentence that starts on a new line, then it should be capitalized. And, of course, proper nouns are always capitalized regardless of what punctuation precedes them.

For example:
The first word of this sentence is capitalized even though it follows a colon.

In the following sentence, the word following the colon should not be capitalized:
There are three main catagories of rock: sedimentary, ignacious, and volcanic.

Here, the word following the colon should be capitalized because it's a proper noun:
Since Pluto is no longer considered a planet, there are now only eight major planets in our Solar System: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Note that a colon (:) is different from a semicolon (;). A colon indicates the start of a list or example. A semicolon is used to separate parts of a sentence that are essentially complete sentences on their own but say basically the same thing in different ways. A semicolon can also be used to separate items in a list when one or more commas appear within a single item in the list. In both cases, the word following the semicolon is not capitalized unless it is a proper noun.

Answer 2

A colon is used when enumerating. Just make sure that for after every entry, you put a semi-colon.

In run-on sentences, there is no capitalization after the colon (e.g., ...the elements are: oxygen; hydrogen; helium; and boron) unless these are proper nouns.

Capitalization is applied, however, when you make the enumeration a list in separate sentences or phrases such as journalism's five Ws and one H being:
1. Who;
2. What;
3. Where;
4. When;
5. Why; and
6. How.

[At least that's how I do it.]

Answer 3

No, the first word following a colon shouldn't be capitalized unless it's a proper noun. Otherwise, lower case should work.
That works on mine, I've just tried it.

Answer 4

this (:) is treated like a period and there for the next word is capitalized.
this (;) is treated like a comma and therefore the next word is not capitalized.
:)