Marlene C. Bertrand
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Books
  • Contact Marlene C Bertrand

How to Use and Punctuate Quotation Marks Correctly

11/25/2014

2 Comments

 
Picture
Most writers know that it is required to use quotation marks when writing the exact words of someone else. Additionally, quotation marks are used to set off titles and technical words. Writers also use quotation marks when wanting to draw special attention to a word or phrase, such as when we are being sarcastic. In this blog post, I show you how to use quotation marks correctly and how to punctuate sentences containing quotation marks.

How to Use Double Quotation Marks
Use double quotation marks to set off the exact words of someone else. Place a double quotation mark at the beginning and at the end of the entire quote.

Example:
         
William Shakespeare wrote, “To be, or not to be, that is the question.”

Use quotation marks to set off titles for magazines, articles, books, chapters, plays, poems, songs, and such.

Example:
          He read the book, “The Mountain of Love,” and enjoyed the ending a lot.

Set off technical words or concepts with quotation marks.


Examples:
         
That doctor wrote the book on “bedside manners.”                
         
At Endeavor Homes, we sell home building kits that come with “paneled” walls.


Use quotation marks to draw special attention to a word or phrase or when you want to show sarcasm.

Example:

                Drawing special attention -

                The woman was a “little” bit peeved when she saw her fiancé having lunch with his ex-wife.

                Showing sarcasm -

                The police officer said he was there to help the burglar get what he “deserved.”

How to Punctuate Quotation Marks

Grammar books lay out dynamic and drawn out explanations for how to punctuate quotation marks, but at the end of the explanations there is really only one rule to follow, and this is it:

“The quotation marks
follow punctuation.”


Example:

                Maria said, “I’m tired. I want to go home now.”

                “Tell me,” she said, “are you really a grandmother?”

Single Quotation Marks

Single quotation marks are used to quote a quote within a quote. At the end of the quote within the quote, remember to place a space between the single quotation mark and the double quotation mark.

Example:

                He said, “Melissa pleaded, ‘Don’t leave me!’ “

That’s all there is to using quotation marks.

In my next blog, I will answer the question, “When should I use a semi colon instead of a period?”

Until then, happy writing!

Copyright 2014 Marlene Bertrand

2 Comments
JimDCat link
2/17/2015 10:44:29 am

ThkQ! That resolves the issue for me. I've been doing it "wrong."

Reply
Marlene Bertrand link
2/18/2015 01:07:22 am

For years, I've been placing the period after the quotation marks. I only learned last year, it was wrong. Then, of course, like all things English, there are exceptions to the rule. One exception is when you are a technical writer and your boss tells you to do it that (the wrong) way.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Follow this blog by clicking on the RSS Feed.

    RSS Feed

    No RSS Reader?
    No Problem!
    Just head on over to my
    ​Amazon Author Page to get regular blog updates.

    Author

    Marlene C. Bertrand declared "Independent Writer" status in 2013. This blog shares her journey as a writer. Visit Marlene's  My Books page for recently published books.

    Picture
    Disclosure: This website contains affiliate links.
    ​An affiliate link means I may earn advertising/referral fees if you make a purchase through my link, without any extra cost to you. It helps to keep this little writer writing, and by the way, thank you very much
    for your support.​

    Archives

    December 2020
    October 2018
    April 2017
    September 2016
    April 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014

    Categories

    All
    Author
    Book
    Excerpt
    For The Money
    Grammar
    How To
    Memoir
    Metaphor
    Minimal Living
    Noun
    Outline
    Personal Improvement
    Publishing
    Review
    Short Story
    Simile
    Simple Life
    Survival
    Unemployment
    Writer
    Writing
    Writing Tip

    Recommended Recources

    When I need answers to my writing questions, I refer to resources that have served me well as a technical writer in the past and as a freelance writer now. The following books sit on my bookshelf ready for use at my demand. When working with clients, you will need to adhere to the client’s style guide for how they want their documents to be formatted. As a freelance writer, you have the liberty of setting up your own style guide. The following resources offer excellent information on grammar and punctuation styles that are most common to writing for United States publishing standards.

    Any one or all of the following books are valuable books to have on your bookshelf at all times:

    Strunk and White's Elements of Style

    The Chicago Manual of Style

    Associated Press Stylebook


Copyright  2014-2021 Marlene C. Bertrand. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy.
Proudly powered by Weebly
Photos used under Creative Commons from Renaud Camus, quinn.anya, Ania Mendrek, juliejordanscott, MacBeales, markus spiske, Peronimo