Learn the rules of comma usage before and after quotation marks in direct and indirect quotes, dialogue, and interruptions. See examples and explanations for each rule and avoid common mistakes.
Learn how to use quotation marks correctly in American English, including rules for commas, periods, question marks, and single and double marks. See examples of direct and indirect quotations, titles, and special uses of quotation marks.
Whether to place a period before or after a closing quotation mark depends on whether you follow American or British style. Periods always go inside quotation marks in American (and often Canadian) style. In British (and often Australian) style, a period (or a full stop) goes inside only if the quotes contain a complete sentence.
In British English, you can choose where the comma goes. British style guides allow commas after quotation marks. It’s acceptable to write: “I’m going to the store”, said my sister. The same rules apply to both double quotation marks and single quotation marks.
Learn the basic rules and functions of quotation marks in academic writing. Find out when to use direct or indirect quotations, how to punctuate them, and how to avoid plagiarism.
APA 7 follows the American convention: place commas and periods inside quotation marks, except when a parenthetical reference immediately follows the quote. ... The placement rule is the same for single and double quotation marks: in American English the period stays inside; in British English it moves outside unless it belongs to the quote. ...
Learn the convention of placing a comma or period before or after a quotation mark in US and UK publishing. Find out the reasons, examples, and sources for this practice.
Make sure that you place quotation marks correctly with respect to other punctuation marks and with citations. The final period or comma goes inside the quotation marks, even if it is not a part of the quoted material, unless the quotation is followed by a citation. If a citation in parentheses follows the quotation, the period follows the ...
Use a comma to introduce a quotation after a standard dialogue tag, a brief introductory phrase, or a dependent clause. The detective said, "I am sure who performed the murder." ... Place a question mark or exclamation point within closing quotation marks if the punctuation applies to the quotation itself. Place the punctuation outside the ...
Learn the rules and examples of punctuation inside or outside quotation marks in American and British English. Find out how to use commas, periods, semicolons, colons, question marks, exclamation marks and more with quotations.
Two punctuation marks (periods and commas) go inside quotation marks, two marks (colons and semi colons) go outside, and two (question marks and exclamation points) can go in either place, depending upon meaning. Two go inside: Period: “That doesn’t concern you.” Comma: I like Aretha’s songs “Respect,” “Do Right Woman,” and “I ...
Learn how to use quotation marks correctly and consistently in American English. Find out when to place commas, periods, colons, and other marks inside or outside the quotation marks, and how to handle run-in and block quotations, quotes within quotes, and translations.
The MLA Handbook notes, “By convention, commas and periods that directly follow quotations go inside the closing quotation marks” (267). Thus, in the following sentence, the comma is placed after taught: “You’ve got to be carefully taught,” wrote Oscar Hammerstein II. The rule is the same for a list of titles: Julio Cortázar wrote many short stories, …
Periods and commas only appear inside the quotation marks if the original quoted sentence also contained this punctuation. Otherwise, the rule is always to put the punctuation after the quotation marks. 2. Commas Introducing Quotes. When introducing a quote in a sentence, a comma is usually used to precede the quote before starting 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.
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 come in pairs, one before and one after the quoted text. The quoted text itself should never either start or end with a comma. So the answer is you can only put a comma before the quote mark that introduces a quote, or after the quote mark that terminates a quote. –
In AP, Chicago, New York Times, L.A. Times, MLA, APA and every other style in the country, both the comma and the period should come before the closing quotation mark, not after. No one other than professional editors seems to know that. Exclamation points and question marks, however, follow different rules.
