What are Quotation Marks (“ ”)?
Quotation marks also known as Speech marks are used to show what someone has exactly said. Exactly showing what someone said is known as a direct quotation.
Quotation marks are added before and after someone’s exact words.
examples:
“Where is Matilda?” asked Brian.
Sarah told John, “Don't go too far from the house.”
“I need to finish this as soon as possible,” said Jasmine “but I am running out of energy.”
Steps for direct quotation:
open the quotation
“
write the exact words spoken
“ I need a break
add ?, !, ., or , to end or pause the sentence
“I need a break.
close the quotation
“I need a break.”
Rules for direct quotation:
Direct speech is separated using one or two commas if it is AFTER a reporting verb such as asked, said, exclaimed, shouted, etc.
examples:
John said, “I'll go home now because I'm tired.”
Notice the comma after the reporting verb said. The direct speech or quotation then followed.
John said, “I'll go home now because I'm tired,” which saddened everyone at the party.
Notice the commas before and after the quotation. That is how it is done when the quotation is introduced by a reporting verb and does not end right away. Since a reported speech follows, another comma is added to separate the quotation.
In this case, the second comma comes inside the quotation as shown in the example.
John said he'd “go home” because he was tired.
If only a fragment or piece of speech is directly quoted, there is no need to put comma/s to separate it from the reported speech, just like in the example above.
The direct speech is separated using a comma if it originally ends in a period and comes before the reporting verb such as said or told.
example:
“I'll go home because I'm tired,” John said.
Notice the comma after the exact words stated. Instead of a period, a comma is put. In such a case, the
comma comes inside the quotation. See the example above.
If the direct speech ends with an exclamation point or question mark, there is no need to put
a comma.
example:
“Can I go home now?” John asked.
“I need to go home!” John exclaimed.
When the direct speech spans more than one paragraph, use an open quotation mark at the start of each paragraph and a closing quotation mark only at the end.
example:
“Paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph. Paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph. Paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph. Paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph.
“Paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph. Paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph. Paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph. Paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph.
“Paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph. Paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph. Paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph. Paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph paragraph.” (This is the end of the quotation, therefore a closing mark is added.)
If the direct speech quotes another direct speech using single quotation marks, double quotation marks are used to distinguish the two speeches.
example:
Mark told me, “Lani told me, ‘I am going to buy a new phone.’”
If the direct speech quotes another direct speech using double quotation marks, single quotation marks are used to distinguish the two speeches.
example:
Mark told me, ‘Lani told me, “I am going to buy a new phone.”’
If the exclamation point or question mark is not originally part of the direct speech but of the overall sentence, it should not be included inside the quotation.
examples:
You should have not told her, ‘‘I hate you’’!
Did you ask her, ‘‘Will you marry me’’?
Other uses of quotation marks:
Quotation marks are also used to highlight words in a sentence.
examples:
The word “compromise” means two different things.
She always says that “love” is the most powerful thing in the world.
Quotation marks are also used to display the titles of smaller groups of works (short stories, articles, or poems) or sections of a larger work (chapters, songs, or television episodes).
examples:
“Seven Sermons to Children” by J.C. Ryle is a good book to start teaching Theology to kids.
The second episode of Stranger Things Season 2, entitled “Trick or Treat, Freak” is so chilling.
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