Rule #1: DIRECT AND INDIRECT
QUOTATIONS

The journalist said, “I
expect to be finished with
the article before the
deadline.”

The journalist said that
he expected to be
finished with the article
before the deadline.

The boys asked, “Can
we have some ice cream
tonight?”

The boys asked if they
could have some ice
cream tonight.
A direct quotation represents a
person’s exact speech or
thoughts. Use quotation marks.
An indirect quotation reports
only the general meaning of
what a person said or thought.
Do not use quotation marks.
Rule #2: CONVERSATIONAL TAGS

At the beginning:
 Mike bragged, “Susie is going to the
Homecoming dance with me.”

At the end:
 “Susie is going to the Homecoming dance with
me,” Mike bragged.

In the middle:
 “Susie,” Mike bragged, “is going to the
Homecoming dance with me.”

NOTE THE PLACEMENT OF THE COMMAS.
Rule #3: PUNCTUATING
QUOTATION MARKS

Always place a comma or a period
INSIDE the final quotation mark.
 The reporter said, “I’m ready if you are.”
 “I took several pictures of the candidate,” the
photographer said.
PUNCTUATING QUOTATION MARKS

Place a question mark or an exclamation mark
INSIDE the final quotation if the end mark is part
of the quotation.
 Marie asked, “Will we have homework tonight?”
 Gordon replied, “No way!”

Place a question mark or an exclamation mark
OUTSIDE the final quotation when it punctuates
the main sentence.
 Did Ms. Singletary really say, “You will have tons of
homework tonight”?
THE EXCEPTION to Rule #3…

APA Citations
 “There is a way to be good again” (Hosseini,
2003, p. 7).
○ Notice that the punctuation is OUTSIDE the
parenthesis!
 “Hey Boo!” (Lee, 1961, p. 245).
○ Questions and exclamations go within the
quotations!
Rule #4: PUNCTUATING
DIALOGUE

When writing dialogue, begin a new paragraph
with each change of speaker. Keep conversation
tags and closely related bits of narration in the
paragraph with the quotation.
“Jonathan? This is your Aunt Frances. How is
everyone?”
“Fine, thank you.”
“I want to ask one last favor of you. I need a letter from
Jack. Do you think you can get it?”
“Who is it?” my mother called from the living room.
“OK, Aunt Frances,” I said quickly. “I have to go now.
We’re eating dinner.”
SPECIAL USES -- TITLES
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SONGS
POEMS
SHORT STORIES
SINGLE EPISODES
OF TV SHOWS
CHAPTERS
MAGAZINE OR
NEWSPAPER
ARTICLES
OTHER SHORT
WORKS

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“Born in the USA”
“The Raven” (by Poe)
“A Rose for Emily”
“Force of Nature” (from
Star Trek: TNG)
“Lady in the Cupboard”
“Favre Returning to
Minnesota; Will He
Ever Retire?”
SPECIAL USES – WORDS / PHRASES

A WORD THAT IS
BEING DISCUSSED
 A commentary on the
times is that the word
“honesty” is now
preceded by “oldfashioned.”

SLANG
 I’d say that group was
really “sweet,” but you
might say they were
“cool.”

WORD IS BEING
USED IN A
SPECIAL WAY
 In order to be popular,
he works very hard at
being “cute.”
 This electronic lure is
really going to “light
up” some fish’s life.
SPECIAL USES –
QUOTES WITHIN QUOTES

Single quotation marks are used to
punctuate a quotation within a quotation.
 Sarah shouted, “I never read ‘The Raven’!”

Double and single quotation marks are
alternated in three or more layers of
quotations.
 I said, “Did you hear her shout, ‘I never read
“The Raven”!’?”