The comma comes inside the quotation marks, unless the reporting verb is positioned inside a reported sentence that itself does not require a comma. ‘There is’ , Monica said , ‘nothing we can do about it.’
Rules for Using Quotation Marks. Quotation marks are punctuation marks used to signify a spoken or quoted phrase. More precisely, quotation marks are used to designate a direct quote—something that’s been said word for word. Example: He said, “I’m going to be a couple minutes late to class today.”
British publishers tend to put the comma or period after the quotation mark. But the British usually use the narrower, single quotation mark as the primary quotation mark. There is less of an aesthetic penalty to placing a comma or period after a single quotation mark, since the mark of punctuation isn’t stranded as far from the previous word.
Note that the period goes inside both the single and double quotation marks. Also note that, as a courtesy, there is visible space between adjacent single and double quotation marks. While American style has periods and commas going inside single and double quotation marks, question marks follow logic.
When to skip the comma. In certain cases, you can skip the comma when introducing a quotation. First, skip the comma if the quotation is introduced by a conjunction like “that,” “whether,” or “if.” Following that guidance, I might write sentences like this: Eddard Stark is constantly reminding people that “winter is coming.”
The short answer is that you should place punctuation marks like commas and periods inside the quotation marks if you’re writing for an American audience. If you’re writing in British English, you can choose where the comma goes. Learn more about where to place a comma in quotation marks and how to punctuate your work correctly.
Put commas and periods within quotation marks, except when a parenthetical reference follows. He said, "I may forget your name, but I never forget a face." History is stained with blood spilled in the name of "civilization." Mullen, criticizing the apparent inaction, writes, "Donahue's policy was to do nothing" (24).
Commas and periods with quotation marks. In US style, periods and commas always go inside quotation marks. In UK style, a period (also called a full stop) or a comma precedes a closing quotation mark only if it is meant to punctuate the text within quotes. If it punctuates the surrounding sentence, the punctuation mark goes outside quotes.
Master the art of punctuation with our guide on 9 Quotations Rules to Perfect Your Writing Punctuation. Learn essential techniques for using quotation marks, dialogue, and indirect speech, while avoiding common mistakes. Improve clarity, consistency, and professionalism in your writing with these expert tips, enhancing readability and grammatical accuracy across all written content.
Quotation marks and adjacent punctuation. Though not necessarily logical, the American rules for multiple punctuation with quotation marks are firmly established. (See here for a brief explanation of the British style.) Commas and periods that are part of the overall sentence go inside the quotation marks, even though they aren’t part of the ...
Punctuation stays inside the quotation marks whether at the end of the sentence or after a comma. For quotes within quotes, follow the same rule. On the British side, the first thing you might notice is a swap to using single quotation marks first, and double quotation marks to quote things within the single marks. ...
When the Quotation Marks Surround a Title. When the quotation marks surround a title (and not an actual quote), treat the noun like any other noun. Just pretend the quotation marks aren’t there at all. As The Chicago Manual of Style says, “Commas are used or omitted as they would be with any other noun.”
Placement with other punctuation: A period or comma always go inside closing quotation marks. ("We hope to win the game," he said.) A dash, semicolon, question mark and exclamation point go inside closing quotation marks when the punctuation applies to the quotation itself and outside when it applies to the whole sentence.
Commas are always used with quotes when they come with reporting clauses such as “he said” and “she said.” A reporting clause that comes before the quote calls for a comma before the opening quotation mark. In other cases, the comma goes inside the quote in American English and outside in British. Commas and quoted statements
Comma Goes Inside You When the context calls for a comma at the end of material enclosed in quotation marks, the comma should be placed inside the quotation marks: We should study the report on "discrimination in the workplace," which was written by the personnel office. Strunk & White gives this example:
When to Use Quotation Marks ("") | Rules & Examples. Published on May 21, 2019 by Shona McCombes.Revised on November 29, 2022 by Jack Caulfield. Quotation marks (also known as quotes or inverted commas) are used to indicate direct speech and quotations.. In academic writing, you need to use quotation marks when you quote a source.
APA 7 follows the American convention: place commas and periods inside quotation marks, except when a parenthetical reference immediately follows the quote. Does the period go inside quotation marks in web content? Yes - if you write for an American audience, keep the period inside the quotes to match mainstream U.S. style. For a UK audience ...
Rule 2: Place Punctuation Inside the Quotation Marks. The general rule with punctuation is that you should place periods as well as commas inside the quotation marks. This applies whether you’re using single or double quotations. In American English, colons and semicolons always go outside quotation marks. For examples: Incorrect usage:
