Quotation Marks

Front

What are quotation marks?

Back

Quotation marks are punctuation marks used to indicate the exact words spoken or written by someone.

Front

When should you use quotation marks?

Back

Use quotation marks to enclose direct quotes, titles of short works, and to indicate dialogue.

Front

How do you punctuate a quote that comes before the speaker's name?

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Place a comma before the opening quotation mark. Example: "I love reading," said Sarah.

Front

How do you punctuate a quote that comes after the speaker's name?

Back

Place a comma after the speaker's name and before the opening quotation mark. Example: Sarah said, "I love reading."

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What is the correct way to punctuate a quote that ends with a comma?

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The comma should be placed inside the closing quotation mark. Example: "It's a beautiful day," she said.

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What is the correct way to punctuate a quote that ends with a period?

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The period should be placed inside the closing quotation mark. Example: "I enjoy swimming."

Front

How do you handle quotes within quotes?

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Use single quotation marks for the inner quote. Example: "He said, 'I will be there soon.'"

Front

What is a common mistake when using quotation marks?

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A common mistake is forgetting to place a comma before the opening quotation mark when the quote comes after the speaker's name.

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What should you do if a quote is a question?

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Place the question mark inside the quotation marks if the quote itself is a question. Example: She asked, "Are you coming?"

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What should you do if a quote is an exclamation?

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Place the exclamation mark inside the quotation marks if the quote itself is an exclamation. Example: He shouted, "Watch out!"