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| Rule 1. |
Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks,
even inside single quotes. |
| Examples: |
The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds. |
| She said, "Hurry up." |
| She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'" |
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| Rule 2. |
The placement of question marks with quotes follows logic. If a question is in quotation marks, the question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks. |
| Examples: |
She asked, "Will you still be my friend?" |
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Do you agree with the saying, "All's fair in love and war"?
Here the question is outside the quote. |
| NOTE: |
Only one ending punctuation mark is used with quotation marks. Also, the stronger punctuation mark wins. Therefore, no period after war is used. |
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| Rule 3. |
When you have a question outside quoted material AND inside quoted material, use only one question mark and place it inside the
quotation mark. |
| Example: |
Did she say, "May I go?" |
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| Rule 4. |
Use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes. Note that the period goes inside all quote marks. |
| Example: |
He said, "Danea said, 'Do not treat me that way.'" |
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| Rule 5. |
Use quotation marks to set off a direct quotation only. |
| Examples: |
"When will you be here?" he asked. |
| He asked when you will be there. |
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| Rule 6. |
Do not use quotation marks with quoted material that is more than three lines in length. See Colons, Rule 5, for style guidance with longer quotes. |
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| Rule 7. |
When you are quoting something that has a spelling or grammar mistake or presents material in a confusing way, insert the term sic in italics and enclose it in brackets. Sic means, "This is the way the original
material was." |
| Example: |
She wrote, "I would rather die then [sic] be seen wearing the same outfit as my sister."
Should be than, not then. |
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Are you ready for the Question Mark, Quotation Mark, and Parentheses quiz?
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