Quotation Marks

Front

What are quotation marks?

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Quotation marks are punctuation marks used to indicate the exact words spoken or written by someone.

Front

When should you use quotation marks?

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Use quotation marks when writing direct quotations, titles of short works, or to indicate irony.

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How do you punctuate a direct quotation?

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A direct quotation should be enclosed in quotation marks, and punctuation marks like commas and periods should be placed inside the quotation marks.

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What is a divided quotation?

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A divided quotation is when a single quotation is split into two parts, with a speaker tag in between.

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Where do commas go in a quotation?

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Commas should be placed inside the quotation marks before the closing quotation mark.

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What is the correct way to write a quotation with a question?

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If the quotation is a question, the question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks.

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How do you capitalize the first word in a quotation?

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The first word of a direct quotation should be capitalized if it is a complete sentence.

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What is an example of a direct quotation?

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"I love reading books," said Sarah.

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What is an example of incorrect quotation punctuation?

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"I can't believe it said John." (The period should be inside the quotation marks.)

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What is the difference between direct and indirect quotations?

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A direct quotation repeats the exact words spoken, while an indirect quotation paraphrases what was said.