title: How to add a key,value pair to a list?
body: <p>I would like to be able to create a list of key, list pairs ( I think that's the most accurate way to describe my desired solution...) </p>
  
  <p>I have a list of dictionaries and would like to add an element to each of these dictionaries that is a list of dictionaries (a mouthful, I know...).</p>
  
  <p>To do this, I try to append key, value pairs to a list.  When I do this I get a syntax error ostensibly tripped on the colon in the key:value pair.</p>
  
  <p>Here's my code:</p>
  
  <pre><code>d_l[0]['abilities'] = list()
  d_l[0]['abilities'].append(abilities_m_l[job_row]['Element Name']:list()) # ability: stats about ability
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>where d_l is a list of dictionaries, 'abilities' is a key that I am creating.</p>
  
  <p>And here's my error (the caret is on the colon (although in the past it's mislabeled the location of the error)).</p>
  
  <pre><code>d_l[0]['abilities'].append(abilities_m_l[job_row]['Element Name']:list()) # ability: stats about ability
                                                                       ^
  SyntaxError: invalid syntax
  logout
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>If it helps, this is the desired overall structure:</p>
  
  <pre><code>{
      'job':'clerk', 'description': 'works in a bank', 'abilities': [
          'math': [
              'imp': {
                  'Data Value': 4.5,
                  'N' : 8,
                  'S_E': 0.19                 
              },
              'level': {
                  'Data Value': 4.75,
                  'N': 8,
                  'S_E': 0.25
              }
          ],
          'english': [
              'imp': {
  
              },
              'level': {
  
              }
          ],
          'dexterity': [
              'imp':{
  
              },
              'level': {
  
              }
          ]
      ]
  },
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Thanks so much! If you see obvious flaws in my arrangement just above (maybe I should be using a dictionary for abilities instead of a list?) please let me know.</p>