Quotation marks
including double and single quotes
Direct and indirect quotes -- A
quoting Don't -- Quotes within quotes -- Punctuation
for quotes -- Long quotes
Direct and indirect quotes
Use quotation marks for direct quotes--actual representations of what someone
has said.
Example:
-
My boss said, "You're fired."
Do not use quotation marks for indirect quotes--paraphrases of what someone
has said.
Example:
-
My boss said that I'm getting a very long vacation.
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A quoting Don't
Do not use question marks to emphasize words in a sentence. Representing someone
else's words isn't the same as emphasizing words.Example:
-
Wrong: "Please" submit all staffing requests in "writing."
Better: My boss insisted, "Please submit all staffing requests in
writing."
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Quotes within quotes
Use single quotation marks for quoted material inside another quotation.
Example:
-
My boss said, "I have to let you go after you called the CEO a 'Loser.'"
This alternation can go on indefinitely.
-
Ann said, "Bob said, 'Carol said, "Don tattoed, 'I love Ann,' on his chest."'"
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Punctuation for quotes
Use a comma after a verb of attribution (say, write, state, claim,
and so on) to set off the quote, but don't use a comma when the quote is
grammatically part of the sentence.
Examples:
-
Don claimed, "That was a different Ann."
-
Carol doesn't believe there is "a different Ann."
-
"Is too," he responded.
-
It's hard to win an argument with "Is too."
Note that periods and commas go inside the closing quotation mark.
Semicolons and colons go outside closing quotes. See the question
mark and exclamation point page too.
Use a colon before an appositive quote or a long block-indented quote.
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Long quotes
In research papers, long quotes are block indented. This indentation
is the mark of quotation, so quotation marks aren't necessary. To
block indent, move the left margin in an extra inch. Where you use a comma for a
short quote, use a colon to set up the block-indented quotationFor a quote broken up into more than one paragraph, open the quote in
the first paragraph, but don't close it at the end. Then open the
quote again in the next paragraph. Use closing quotation marks when
the quote finally ends. This rule often applies to dialogue in journalism,
essays, or fiction.
Example:
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"Arguments can last a long time," Bob said, "especially when tattoos and
love are involved.
"But tattoos last longer," he continued, "and love may last longer
still."
"Does not," Ellen said.
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