Quotation Marks
For Direct Speech
Quotation marks show someone’s exact words:
- She said, “I’ll be there soon.”
- “Wait for me,” he called.
- “Are you coming?” she asked.
Punctuation Inside (American)
In American English, commas and periods go inside:
- She said, “Hello**.**”
- “That’s interesting**,**” he replied.
Punctuation Outside (British)
In British English, it varies:
- She said, ‘Hello’.
- ‘That’s interesting’, he replied.
Dialogue Format
Each speaker starts a new paragraph:
“Where are you going?” asked Tom.
“I’m going to the store,” replied Sarah.
“Can I come too?”
“Of course!”
Single vs. Double Quotes
American Style
- Double quotes for primary: “Hello”
- Single for quotes within quotes: “She said ‘hello’ to me.”
British Style
- Single quotes for primary: ‘Hello’
- Double for quotes within quotes: ‘She said “hello” to me.‘
For Titles
Short Works (use quotation marks)
- Articles: “The Future of Technology”
- Short stories: “The Gift of the Magi”
- Poems: “The Road Not Taken”
- Songs: “Imagine”
- TV episodes: “The One with the Prom Video”
- Chapters: “Chapter 1: The Beginning”
Long Works (use italics instead)
- Books: Pride and Prejudice
- Movies: The Godfather
- Albums: Abbey Road
- TV shows: Friends
- Newspapers: The New York Times
Special Uses
Scare Quotes
Show skepticism or irony:
- He’s a “genius” who can’t tie his shoes.
- That “healthy” food is full of sugar.
- Their “solution” made things worse.
Introducing Terms
- The process is called “photosynthesis.”
- In grammar, “tense” refers to time.
American English uses double quotation marks (”) as the primary style; British English often uses single marks (’). When quoting inside a quote, switch to the other style. In American English, commas and periods go inside the closing quotation mark.