Question

Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

A I ran past a sign that read, “Warning: Floor may be wet.”
B I ran past a sign that read; “Warning, Floor may be wet.”
C I ran past a sign that read, “Warning; Floor may be wet.”
D I ran past a sign that read: “Warning, Floor may be wet.”

Answer 1

A I ran past a sign that read, “Warning: Floor may be wet.”

Answer 2

A. I ran past a sign that read, "Warning: Floor may be wet."

Step-by-step explanation:

It would only be appropriate to put a semicolon (;) or colon (:) after read if it completed a sentence (although there are some exceptions). However, it is an incomplete sentence, so therefore we need to use a comma. But, a colon should be used after warning, because it is indicating emphasis.