Punctuation   >>   Quotation Marks    Examples

Quotation Mark Rules

• A punctuation mark represented by: ' or "
• American English:
• single quote: '
• double quotes: "
• British English:
• single inverted comma: '
• double inverted commas: "
• Used to indicate the start and end of a title or a quote

• When quoting the EXACT words someone said, wrote, or sang
• example:  He said, "Let's go."
• When writing a paper or article and quoting someone word for word
• example:  "To be or not to be" is probably the most famous line in literature.
• To show a dialog between two or more people
• example:  Jack asked her, "Did you see that?" Jill replied, "Of course I did. It was beautiful!"
• When referencing a title of a song, story, book, essay, article, or TV episode.
• example:  Have you heard "I Love Rock 'n' Roll," by Joan Jett?

• American English:
• Write " at the start and end of a quote or title
• example:  She said, "Come here!"
• A quote inside a quote is marked by ' at the start and end
• example:  The teacher asked, "Have you ever heard of the quote, 'To be or not to be'?"
• British English:
• Write ' at the start and end of a quote or title
• example:  She said, 'Come here!'
• A quote inside a quote is marked by " at the start and end
• example:  The teacher asked, 'Have you ever heard of the quote, "To be or not to be"?'

• Always capitalize the first letter of the first word in a quote or title.
• example:  He asked her, "Have you read 'Taken: The coldest case ever solved,' by Ann O'Neill?"

• Include periods and commas inside the quote
• example 1:  Jill said, "I am going home now."
• example 2:  "I am going to the store," she said.
• Question marks go inside a quote (or title) if the quote is a question. Otherwise, placed them outside the quote.
• example 1:  Mike asked, "Have you been here before?"
• example 2:  Have you heard Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll"?

• Do NOT use quotation marks with indirect quotes
• example:  He asked her to come closer.

Cite This Source