Do you struggle to remember when to use quotation marks? Are you unsure how they can be used correctly in written English? This article will outline the different types of uses for quotations and give clear examples of how these are formed.
What are Quotation Marks?
Quotation marks, often shortened as “quotes” or “inverted commas”, are used to attribute a quote or citation to an individual. Quotations marks indicate that the exact words taken from a source have been used, and they serve an important purpose in academic writing.
Different Types of Quotation Marks
Single Quotation Marks
Single quotation marks (‘ ’) are used mainly in British English for primary quotations, and in American English for quotations within other quotations. They are not the same as the straight mark (‘) used on typewriters or keyboards, which is a typographical character rather than a true quotation mark.
Double Quotation Marks
Double quotation marks (“ ”) are the standard quotation marks in American English for most quotations. They clearly indicate where a quotation begins and ends, especially in longer or more complex sentences. Straight double quotes (” “) are also typewriter-style characters and are not considered a separate type of quotation mark.
Angle Quotation Marks
Angle quotation marks (« »), also known as guillemets, are used in several non-English languages such as French, Italian, and Spanish. They are not typically used in standard English writing, academic formatting, or quotation conventions.
Typographical vs. Typewriter Quotes
The characters (`), (‘), (“), (“), and (”) are typewriter-style characters used for convenience on keyboards. They are not distinct types of quotation marks and should not be used in place of proper single (‘ ’) or double (“ ”) quotation marks.
Brand names do not normally require quotation marks unless referring to the word itself; italics or plain text are generally preferred.
When to Use Quotation Marks
Quote What Other People Say
Run-in Quotations (Short Quotes)
Short quotations are placed directly in the main text and enclosed in quotation marks.
Example:
- One of my favorite quotes from a book is, “A room without books is like a body without a soul.”
Block Quotations (Long Quotes)
Long quotations (usually 40 words or more, depending on the style guide) should be presented as a block separated from the main text. Block quotes do not use quotation marks because their formatting already shows they are quoted material.
Example:
In one of my favorite books of all time, the author wrote:
The time it takes for a man to do the dishes is the same time it will take for a man to fix a car. When he does something he loves, he will do it much faster than if he were doing something he hates. Because of this, you should always be doing something you truly care about if you want to see the best results for yourself.
Highlight Special Terms or Phrases
Quotation marks can emphasize slang, jargon, or words used in a special or non-literal way.
Example:
- The new phone is incredibly fast, but the battery “disappears” quickly.
Here, “disappears” means the battery drains fast—not literally disappears.
Use standard single (‘ ’) or double (“ ”) quotation marks depending on your writing style.
Supply Titles of Short Works
Quotation marks are used for the titles of short works, such as:
- short stories
- poems
- articles
- songs
- TV episodes
Example:
- My favorite poem is “The Road Not Taken.”
In contrast, titles of longer works like books, movies, or journals are italicized, not placed in quotation marks.
Example:
- The Lord of the Rings is my favorite movie series.
Indicate Dictionaries Definitions
When writing a dictionary definition, put both the word and the meaning in quotation marks to show exactly what’s being defined.
Example:
- According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “misconstrue” means “to misunderstand something, especially the meaning or intention of what someone says.”
Enclose Direct Speech in Stories and Essays
In narratives, quotation marks show the exact words spoken by characters. This helps readers know what dialogue is and what narration is.
Example:
- He walked up behind her and said, “Have I told you how much I love you?”
Quotation marks make it clear which words were spoken.
Translations
As an alternative to a parenthesis, which is usually used when referring to translations, quotation marks can be used.
Though in this case, it’s necessary that the translation is set off with commas.
Here is an example:
- My knowledge of Spanish is limited to gracias, “thank you,” and hola, “hello”
Nicknames
When writing someone’s full name with a nickname, place the nickname in quotation marks.
Example:
- Timothy “Tim” Arnold
How to Use Punctuation Outside the Quotation Marks
Using punctuation correctly with quotation marks is important for clarity and proper grammar. Here are some clear guidelines and examples to help you use punctuation accurately in your writing.
1. Use colons, semicolons, and parentheses with no spaces between them.
For example: “The store has everything we need: groceries, supplies (including toilet paper!), and other miscellaneous items.”
These punctuation marks follow their normal rules even when quotation marks appear nearby.
2. When listing items inside parentheses, place a comma before the closing parenthesis if the list continues outside the parentheses.
Examples:
- “I need to buy food (apples, oranges, bananas), laundry detergent, and toilet paper.”
- “We love traveling to new places (especially in Europe), but we always come home—we just can’t stay away too long!”
3. Question marks and exclamation points belong to the part of the sentence they logically apply to.
- If the quoted words are a question or exclamation → punctuation stays inside the quotation marks.
- If the main sentence is the question → punctuation goes outside the quotation marks.
Examples:
- “What did he say?” she asked.
The stranger said, “Go away!”
4. When a sentence ends with a direct quote that already contains a period, do not add another period outside the quotation marks.
- He said, “You must be careful when handling sharp objects.”
(Note: In American English, the period always goes inside the quotation marks.)
5. For long quotations that span multiple paragraphs, use an opening quotation mark at the start of each paragraph, but only close the quote at the very end of the final paragraph.
Example:
- She wrote in her diary:
“I’m so excited to finally have made this decision! I’ve been wanting to do this for years now and feel so relieved that I finally have taken this big step forward into my own life’s journey…
“This is going to be awesome!”
Special Cases for Using Quotation Marks
Scare Quotes
Quotation marks can be used to indicate that a word or phrase is being used in an ironic or non-literal sense, also known as “scare quotes”. This usage is common in academic writing to indicate skepticism or disagreement with the term being used.
Example:
- The “experts” at the conference had conflicting opinions on the topic.
Unfamiliar Words or Phrases
Quotation marks can also be used to indicate an unfamiliar or foreign word or phrase. This helps the reader to understand that the word is being used in a specific context or to show that it is not an English word.
Example:
- The Italian word “ciao” means both hello and goodbye.
Direct Dialogue in Narrative
Quotation marks are used to indicate direct dialogue spoken by characters in a story or novel. This helps to distinguish the dialogue from the rest of the narrative.
Example:
- “I can’t believe you did that,” said Jane.
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