Quotation marks show when you’re using someone’s exact words rather than reporting what they said in your own words. They also appear around titles of shorter works and certain words or expressions.
For example:
The engineer said, “The bridge will remain closed until the inspection is complete.”
The quotation marks identify the engineer’s words, while the rest of the sentence identifies the speaker.
English uses double quotation marks (“ ”) and single quotation marks (‘ ’). Both are correct, but the choice depends on the writing style you’re following.
Punctuation can be less straightforward. A comma may belong inside quotation marks in one construction but outside in another. American and British editorial conventions also differ in some situations.
Quotation Marks at a Glance
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Direct speech | “The parcel arrived this morning,” Anika said. |
| Quotation within a quotation | “She described the result as ‘remarkable’ during the interview,” he recalled. |
| Titles of shorter works | We discussed the short story “The Last Leaf.” |
| Words being discussed | The term “service window” appears in the contract. |
| Questions containing quotations | Did she really call the proposal “unworkable”? |
In American English, double quotation marks are generally used for primary quotations. Many British styles prefer single quotation marks, although some use double.
The placement of commas, periods, and other punctuation marks also depends on the type of quotation and the editorial style.
Quotation Marks in Direct Speech
Quotation marks are commonly used when you reproduce someone’s spoken words.
Their punctuation depends on how those words fit into the surrounding sentence.
Direct Speech vs. Indirect Speech
Direct speech presents the words someone said.
The shop owner said, “We’ve ordered more copies, but they won’t arrive until Thursday.”
Indirect speech reports the message without reproducing the original wording.
The shop owner said that more copies had been ordered but wouldn’t arrive until Thursday.
Because the writer is reporting the message rather than quoting it directly, quotation marks aren’t needed.
The same distinction applies to questions.
Direct speech:
“Have you checked the revised timetable?” the coordinator asked.
Indirect speech:
The coordinator asked if we had checked the revised timetable.
Notice that the indirect question ends with a period. The sentence reports a question rather than asking one.
When the Reporting Clause Comes Before or After the Quote
A reporting clause, sometimes called a dialogue tag, identifies the speaker. It commonly contains a verb such as said, asked, replied, or explained.
When the reporting clause comes before direct speech, a comma usually introduces the quotation.
Leena explained, “The old photographs are too fragile to handle without gloves.”
The quoted sentence begins with a capital letter because it is being presented as a complete spoken sentence.
When the reporting clause follows a spoken statement, a comma normally replaces the statement’s final period.
“The manuscript needs another round of proofreading,” the editor said.
The comma connects the quotation to the reporting clause.
A reporting clause is different from an action.
Consider:
Incorrect:
“The delivery hasn’t arrived,” Rina checked her phone.
Correct:
“The delivery hasn’t arrived.” Rina checked her phone.
Rina checked her phone describes an action. It isn’t a reporting clause, so it shouldn’t be joined to the quotation with a dialogue comma.
You could also write:
“The delivery hasn’t arrived,” Rina said, checking her phone.
Now Rina said identifies the speaker, while checking her phone describes what she was doing.
If the words after a quotation describe a separate action, they normally form a separate sentence.
How to Punctuate Interrupted Dialogue
A reporting clause can appear in the middle of someone’s speech.
The punctuation changes depending on whether the quotation continues the same sentence or begins a new one.
When the same sentence continues
“The revised drawings,” the architect explained, “include a second emergency exit.”
Without the reporting clause, the sentence would read:
“The revised drawings include a second emergency exit.”
The second part begins with lowercase include because it continues the same sentence.
When the speaker begins a new sentence
“The first batch has passed inspection,” the technician confirmed. “We can begin testing the remaining units tomorrow.”
The first spoken sentence is complete. The second begins a new sentence, so We is capitalized.
When the quotation is a question
“Has the replacement glass arrived?” the caretaker asked.
The question mark stays inside the quotation marks because the caretaker asked the question.
There’s no extra comma after the question mark.
Compare that with:
“Has the replacement glass arrived?” The caretaker checked the delivery records.
Here, The caretaker checked the delivery records is a separate action. It begins with a capital letter.
Quoting Written Text Accurately
Quotation marks are also used when reproducing words from a report, article, letter, interview transcript, or another written source.
The important distinction is between quoting the original wording and reporting its meaning.
Suppose a published report states:
The repairs will begin in September after the final safety inspection is completed.
You could use part of that sentence in your own writing:
The report confirms that repairs “will begin in September” after the final safety inspection.
The quoted phrase fits grammatically into the writer’s sentence.
You don’t need a comma before every quotation.
A comma is common when a reporting clause introduces a complete direct quotation:
The report states, “The repairs will begin in September after the final safety inspection is completed.”
But in the earlier example, will begin in September is part of the surrounding sentence’s grammatical structure. Adding a comma before the quotation would interrupt that structure.
Keep the Original Meaning Intact
When quoting written material, don’t change the author’s wording in a way that misrepresents what was said.
Imagine a report contains this sentence:
The committee reviewed the revised proposal but did not approve the additional funding.
It would be misleading to quote the committee reviewed the revised proposal as evidence that the funding had been approved.
A shortened quotation must preserve the relevant meaning and context, even when the words reproduced are technically accurate.
Writers sometimes use ellipses to indicate omitted material or square brackets to identify certain changes or clarifications within a quotation. The conventions vary across academic and editorial styles.
For ordinary writing, quote only the words you need, preserve their original meaning, and make it clear when you’re paraphrasing rather than reproducing exact wording.
Single and Double Quotation Marks
English has two forms of quotation marks:
- Double: “ ”
- Single: ‘ ’
Both enclose quoted words. The main difference is which form a particular editorial style uses first.
American and British English Conventions
In standard American English, double quotation marks are normally used for primary quotations.
“The coastal path is closed until further notice,” the ranger explained.
Many British editorial styles prefer single quotation marks:
‘The coastal path is closed until further notice,’ the ranger explained.
However, British English doesn’t have one universal convention. Some British publishers and organizations use double quotation marks as their primary style.
If you’re writing for a school, publisher, or organization, follow its preferred style. Otherwise, choose a consistent convention.
Quotations Within Quotations
Sometimes a speaker repeats another person’s exact words.
In standard American English, the outer quotation normally uses double marks, while the quotation inside it uses single marks.
“The curator described the missing painting as ‘extremely valuable,’ but didn’t explain where it was,” Daniel recalled.
Daniel’s statement is enclosed in double quotation marks. The words extremely valuable appear inside single quotation marks because they represent the curator’s description.
In a British style that uses single quotation marks for primary quotations, the levels are reversed:
‘The curator described the missing painting as “extremely valuable”, but didn’t explain where it was,’ Daniel recalled.
The outer quotation uses single marks, and the curator’s words appear within double marks.
For most everyday writing, two levels of quotation marks are enough. If several layers make the sentence difficult to follow, reporting part of the information indirectly may be clearer.
Punctuation Inside or Outside Quotation Marks
The position of a punctuation mark depends on its function and the editorial convention being followed.
The most useful distinction is between punctuation that belongs to the surrounding sentence and punctuation that belongs to the quoted words.
Commas and Periods in American and British English
In standard American prose, commas and periods normally go inside closing quotation marks, even when they’re not part of the original quoted wording.
American English:
The reviewer described the ending as “unexpected.”
Many British styles follow logical punctuation. A full stop or comma that belongs to the surrounding sentence generally appears outside the quotation marks.
British logical-punctuation style:
The reviewer described the ending as ‘unexpected’.
The quoted word is the same. The punctuation placement reflects the editorial convention.
Direct speech followed by a reporting clause behaves differently from a quoted word embedded in a sentence.
American English:
“The parcel arrived this morning,” she said.
Common British English style:
‘The parcel arrived this morning,’ she said.
The comma appears before the closing quotation mark in both versions.
It connects the direct speech to the following reporting clause.
You don’t need to imagine that a speaker literally pronounced the comma. It is part of the written sentence’s punctuation.
These are ordinary prose conventions. Academic citation systems and some specialized formats have additional rules. For example, an American academic quotation followed by a parenthetical citation commonly places the sentence-ending period after the citation.
Question Marks and Exclamation Marks
Question marks and exclamation marks generally follow the meaning of the sentence rather than the American inside-placement convention for commas and periods.
Put the mark inside the quotation marks when it belongs to the quoted words.
The passenger asked, “Will the last ferry still leave at seven?”
The passenger’s words form a question.
But consider:
Did the manager really describe the proposal as “too expensive”?
The writer’s sentence is a question. The quoted phrase isn’t, so the question mark appears outside.
The same distinction applies to exclamation marks.
The instructor shouted, “Move away from the edge!”
The exclamation belongs to the shouted instruction.
I couldn’t believe the brochure called that narrow staircase “easy to climb”!
The exclamation belongs to the writer’s reaction.
What if both the quotation and the surrounding sentence are questions?
Did the witness really ask, “Where was the entrance?”
The quotation is a question, and the whole sentence also asks a question.
In this construction, a second question mark isn’t normally added outside the closing quotation marks.
Colons and Semicolons
In ordinary American prose, colons and semicolons that punctuate the surrounding sentence appear outside closing quotation marks.
The reviewer called the ending “unconvincing”; several readers disagreed.
The semicolon connects two independent clauses. It isn’t part of the quoted word.
But punctuation that’s part of the quoted material remains inside the quotation marks.
The notice read, “Bring the following: your admission ticket and photo identification.”
The colon is part of the notice’s wording.
Other Uses of Quotation Marks
Quotation marks also appear around certain titles, individual terms, and expressions used in a special sense.
Titles of Short Works
Quotation marks commonly surround the titles of works that form part of a larger publication or collection.
Examples include short stories, poems, songs, articles, chapters, and individual television episodes.
The class compared the short story “The Last Leaf” with another work about illness and friendship.
Standalone works, such as books, films, albums, newspapers, and television series, are commonly italicized under major editorial styles.
The students discussed “The Last Leaf” before beginning The Old Man and the Sea.
The first is a short story, while the second is a novel.
Some formats and publications use different title treatments, so follow the required style when preparing academic or professional writing.
Words and Expressions Being Discussed
Sometimes you’re discussing a word itself rather than using it in its ordinary meaning.
Different editorial styles handle this in different ways.
Some use quotation marks:
The word “light” can refer to illumination, weight, or a pale shade.
Others prefer italics:
The word light can refer to illumination, weight, or a pale shade.
Both treatments can be appropriate, depending on the style you’re following.
Quotation marks can also identify a term used in a particular document.
The contract uses the expression “service window” for the hours when maintenance staff may enter the property.
If you’re introducing a word as a word, follow a consistent convention instead of switching between italics and quotation marks without a reason.
Scare Quotes and Unusual Meanings
Quotation marks can sometimes suggest that a writer is questioning a term, distancing themselves from it, or using it ironically.
The advertisement promised a “guaranteed solution,” although the product came with several conditions.
The surrounding sentence suggests skepticism about the promise.
This use is often called scare quotes.
However, quotation marks don’t automatically imply sarcasm. They may simply identify wording borrowed from a source or a term being discussed.
Long or Block Quotations
Long quotations are sometimes presented as separate, indented blocks rather than enclosed in quotation marks.
The exact formatting depends on the required editorial or academic style.
For instance, MLA and APA have different requirements for when a quotation should be displayed as a block and how citations should appear.
If you’re preparing an academic paper, follow the relevant style guide rather than applying one universal length rule.
Short quotations usually remain within the paragraph and use quotation marks.
Practice: Choose the Correct Quotation Marks and Punctuation
These exercises cover different writing situations. Some require you to correct punctuation, while others ask you to decide how a quotation should fit into a sentence.
Unless stated otherwise, use standard American English conventions.
Exercise 1: Direct or Indirect Speech?
A caretaker tells visitors:
The north entrance will remain closed until Friday.
Write this information in two ways:
- As direct speech, using the caretaker’s exact words.
- As indirect speech, reporting the information without quoting the caretaker word for word.
Answer
Direct speech:
The caretaker said, “The north entrance will remain closed until Friday.”
The quotation marks enclose the caretaker’s original words.
Indirect speech:
The caretaker said that the north entrance would remain closed until Friday.
The second sentence reports the information rather than reproducing the exact wording.
The difference between direct and indirect speech is not determined by the presence of that or by a particular verb tense. In some contexts, indirect speech can retain the original tense. What matters is whether the writer is quoting the words or reporting their meaning.
Exercise 2: Integrating a Quotation
A report uses the phrase necessary but temporary to describe proposed changes.
Which sentence uses the quotation correctly?
A.
The report describes the changes as, “necessary but temporary.”
B.
The report describes the changes as “necessary but temporary.”
Answer
B is correct.
The report describes the changes as “necessary but temporary.”
The quoted phrase completes the grammatical construction beginning with describes the changes as.
A comma would interrupt that connection.
If you wanted to introduce the full statement instead, you could write:
The report states, “The proposed changes are necessary but temporary.”
The comma is appropriate because the reporting clause introduces a complete direct quotation.
Exercise 3: Interrupted Dialogue
Correct the punctuation and capitalization.
“The new exhibition” the curator explained “will open once the restoration work is finished.”
Answer
“The new exhibition,” the curator explained, “will open once the restoration work is finished.”
The reporting clause interrupts one complete quoted sentence.
The commas separate the interruption, while will remains lowercase because it continues the same spoken sentence.
Exercise 4: Whose Question Is It?
Punctuate both sentences.
A.
Did the inspector really describe the staircase as unsafe
The word unsafe is quoted from the inspector’s report.
B.
The inspector asked is the staircase safe to use
The inspector’s exact question is being reported.
Answer
A.
Did the inspector really describe the staircase as “unsafe”?
The question belongs to the writer’s sentence. The quoted word is not itself a question.
B.
The inspector asked, “Is the staircase safe to use?”
The inspector’s words form a direct question, so the question mark belongs inside.
Exercise 5: Edit a Short Exchange
Mira is discussing an email about a temporary building closure. The following passage contains quotation-mark and punctuation errors.
Correct it using standard American English.
Incorrect:
“The email called the closure “temporary” but gave no reopening date,” Mira said. “I’ll check the latest notice,” She opened the council website.
Answer
“The email called the closure ‘temporary’ but gave no reopening date,” Mira said. “I’ll check the latest notice.” She opened the council website.
The word temporary appears inside Mira’s quotation because she’s referring to the wording used in the email. In American English, the inner quotation takes single marks.
The comma before Mira said is appropriate because those words form a reporting clause.
The second quotation ends with a period because She opened the council website describes a separate action, not the act of speaking.
The action also begins with a capital letter because it’s a new sentence.
When you’re quoting someone, the punctuation should make it easy to follow their words without losing track of your own sentence. Sometimes that means adding quotation marks, moving a comma, or changing how the sentence is written. A clear quotation should let readers focus on what was said, not on figuring out where it begins or ends.
The First English Grade Editorial creates simple English grammar, vocabulary, and language guides for students, beginners, and everyday learners.