Quotations

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What is a direct quotation?

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A direct quotation is the exact words spoken by a person, enclosed in quotation marks.

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How do you punctuate a direct quotation?

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A direct quotation is punctuated with quotation marks at the beginning and end, and often includes a comma before the opening quotation mark if it follows a dialogue tag.

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What is a dialogue tag?

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A dialogue tag is a phrase that attributes the spoken words to a speaker, such as 'he said' or 'she asked'.

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When should you use a comma in a direct quotation?

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Use a comma before the opening quotation mark when the quotation follows a dialogue tag.

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What is the correct punctuation for this sentence: 'I love ice cream' she said?

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The correct punctuation is: 'I love ice cream,' she said.

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What is the correct way to write: 'I can't wait to see the movie' he exclaimed?

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The correct way is: 'I can't wait to see the movie,' he exclaimed.

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How do you write a quotation that is a question?

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If the quotation is a question, the question mark goes inside the quotation marks. For example: 'Are you coming?' she asked.

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What is the correct way to write: 'This is my favorite book' she said?

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The correct way is: 'This is my favorite book,' she said.

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What do you do if a quotation is interrupted?

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If a quotation is interrupted by a dialogue tag, use a comma before the closing quotation mark and continue the quotation after the tag.

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How do you write a quotation that is a command?

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For a command, place the comma before the closing quotation mark. For example: 'Please sit down,' he said.