Quotation Marks
What are quotation marks?
Quotation marks are used around direct
quotations: someone’s speech or writing
repeated exactly, word for word.
DIRECT QUOTATION: Helen asked, “Can I
borrow your car?”
Quotation marks are not used around indirect
quotations: restatements of what someone said
or wrote, not word for word.
INDIRECT QUOTATION: Helen asked to
borrow my car.

When referring to a short work such as a
magazine or newspaper article, a chapter in a
book, a short story, an essay, a song, or a poem,
put quotation marks around the title of the
work.

Usually, the titles of longer works are underlined
or italicized.
(See your textbook for more specific rules and
examples for using quotation marks.)
1. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
A) My sister told me “that I must see this
movie.”
B) My sister told me that I must see this
movie.
C) My sister told me that I, “Must see this
movie.”
D) none of the above
1. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
ANSWER:
A) My sister told me “that I must see this
movie.”
B) My sister told me that I must see this
movie.
C) My sister told me that I, “Must see this
movie.”
D) none of the above
2. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
A) “Sorry, no backpacks allowed,” said the
security guard.
B) “Sorry, no backpacks allowed” said the
security guard.
C) Sorry, no backpacks allowed said the
security guard.
D) none of the above
2. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
ANSWER:
A) “Sorry, no backpacks allowed,” said
the security guard.
B) “Sorry, no backpacks allowed” said the
security guard.
C) Sorry, no backpacks allowed said the
security guard.
D) none of the above
3. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
A) “A little learning wrote Alexander Pope is
a dangerous thing.”
B) “A little learning wrote Alexander Pope,”
is a dangerous thing.
C) “A little learning,” wrote Alexander Pope,
“is a dangerous thing.”
D) none of the above
3. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
ANSWER:
A) “A little learning wrote Alexander Pope is
a dangerous thing.”
B) “A little learning wrote Alexander Pope,”
is a dangerous thing.
C) “A little learning,” wrote Alexander
Pope, “is a dangerous thing.”
D) none of the above
4. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
A) Lola has been telling me for years that she
wants to leave her job.
B) Lola has been telling me “for years that
she wants to leave her job.”
C) Lola has been telling me for years, “that
she wants to leave her job.”
D) none of the above
4. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
ANSWER:
A) Lola has been telling me for years that
she wants to leave her job.
B) Lola has been telling me “for years that
she wants to leave her job.”
C) Lola has been telling me for years, “that
she wants to leave her job.”
D) none of the above
5. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
A) “What do you mean by “minor
procedure,” doctor?” asked the patient.
B) ‘What do you mean by “minor
procedure,” doctor?’ asked the patient.
C) “What do you mean by ‘minor
procedure,’ doctor?” asked the patient.
D) none of the above
5. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
ANSWER:
A) “What do you mean by “minor procedure,”
doctor?” asked the patient.
B) ‘What do you mean by “minor procedure,”
doctor?’ asked the patient.
C) “What do you mean by ‘minor procedure,’
doctor?” asked the patient.
D) none of the above
6. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
A) The film Stand by Me was based on
Stephen King’s short story The Body.
B) The film Stand by Me was based on
Stephen King’s short story “The Body.”
C) The film Stand by Me was based on
Stephen King’s short story ‘The Body.”
D) none of the above
6. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
ANSWER:
A) The film Stand by Me was based on Stephen
King’s short story The Body.
B) The film Stand by Me was based on
Stephen King’s short story “The Body.”
C) The film Stand by Me was based on Stephen
King’s short story ‘The Body.”
D) none of the above
7. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
A) “‘Piano Man’ may be the most annoying
song in history,” said Benita.
B) “Piano Man” “may be the most annoying
song in history” said Benita.
C) Piano Man may be the most annoying
song in history, said Benita.
D) none of the above
7. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
ANSWER:
A) “‘Piano Man’ may be the most annoying
song in history,” said Benita.
B) “Piano Man” “may be the most annoying song
in history” said Benita.
C) Piano Man may be the most annoying song in
history, said Benita.
D) none of the above
8. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
A) I have read “the Bible” and “the Koran,”
Jonas said.
B) Jonas said that he has read the Bible and
the Koran.
C) Jonas said that “he has read the Bible and
the Koran.”
D) none of the above
8. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
ANSWER:
A) I have read “the Bible” and “the Koran,”
Jonas said.
B) Jonas said that he has read the Bible
and the Koran.
C) Jonas said that “he has read the Bible and
the Koran.”
D) none of the above
9. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
A) There’s an essay about The Godfather
films in this week’s New York Times.
B) There’s an essay about The Godfather
films in this week’s “New York Times.”
C) There’s an essay about “The Godfather
films” in this week’s New York Times.
D) none of the above
9. Choose the sentence that has no errors
in the use of quotation marks.
ANSWER:
A) There’s an essay about The Godfather films in
this week’s New York Times.
B) There’s an essay about The Godfather films in
this week’s “New York Times.”
C) There’s an essay about “The Godfather films”
in this week’s New York Times.
D) none of the above; the correct revision is
There’s an essay about The Godfather
films in this week’s New York Times.
10. Choose the sentence that has no
errors in the use of quotation marks.
A) Mr. Rivera said that he “has read all of the
Harry Potter books except for Harry Potter
and the Deathly Hallows.”
B) Mr. Rivera said that he “has read all of the
Harry Potter books except for Harry Potter
and the Deathly Hallows.”
C) Mr. Rivera said that he has read all of the Harry
Potter books except for Harry Potter and the
Deathly Hallows.
D) none of the above
10. Choose the sentence that has no
errors in the use of quotation marks.
ANSWER:
A) Mr. Rivera said that he “has read all of the Harry
Potter books except for Harry Potter and the
Deathly Hallows.”
B) Mr. Rivera said that he “has read all of the Harry
Potter books except for Harry Potter and the
Deathly Hallows.”
C) Mr. Rivera said that he has read all of the Harry
Potter books except for Harry Potter and the
Deathly Hallows.
D) none of the above