" "
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You can use quotation marks for a few different reasons. Use the quotation rules below to use them correctly.
Quotations
Quotation marks are used to show a speaker’s exact words:
· "I love hockey," said Paul
· The mayor said, "This will be the best year for our city!"
Keep ending punctuation inside the quotation marks.
· As stated in the manual, "Smoking is prohibited in all hotel rooms."
Quotations begin with a capital letter.
· Gina said, "There is no place I would rather live than here."
Different punctuation is used to introduce quotations depending on the situation.
Colons
A complete sentence before the quotation takes a colon.
· He was not happy with the results: "We must do better."
Commas
Use commas with a subject and a reporting verb.
· He said, "Nothing compares to Coke."
Here are some common reporting verbs used to introduce quotations:
Say
|
Tell
|
Ask
|
Think
|
Explain
|
Note
|
Claim
|
Remark
|
No Punctuation
Do not use punctuation when the quotation is blended into the sentence. The author is noted referenced in this situation.
· The minimum wage during that decade was "insufficient for single mothers.”
Artistic Works
Quotations marks are used to signify certain artistic works:
· Poems
· Short Stories
· Newspaper Articles
· Journal Articles
· Songs
Take a look at some example sentences:
· "A Christmas Tree" is one of Charles Dickens' most famous short stories.
· Have you read the new article, "Crime is Rising"?
