Quotation Marks

Quotation marks are punctuation marks used to indicate the exact words spoken or written by someone. They are represented by two double quotes: " ".

Quotation marks are used to enclose direct speech, quotations, titles of short works, and to highlight specific words or phrases.

When a sentence includes a quotation, the punctuation (like commas and periods) typically goes inside the quotation marks.

Example: "I love reading," she said.

Double quotation marks are used for direct quotes, while single quotation marks are often used for quotes within quotes.

If the quote is a question, the question mark goes inside the quotation marks. Example: Did she really say, "Are you coming?"

Incorrect: The teacher said, "We will have a test tomorrow". (The period should be inside the quotation marks.)

A period or comma should be placed inside the quotation marks if the quote ends the sentence.

Common mistakes include forgetting to use them for direct quotes, placing punctuation outside the quotes, and using them incorrectly for emphasis.

Quotation marks help clarify who is speaking, indicate direct speech, and distinguish titles of short works.