Name ___________________________________________________ Class _________ Date ____________________
Lesson 89
Quotation Marks for Direct Quotations
Use quotation marks to enclose a direct quotation. In general, separate introductory or
explanatory remarks from the quotation with a comma.
“Once you’ve seen Niagara Falls, you’ll never forget its awesome power,” my
grandfather said solemnly.
Grandmother added with a laugh, “I agree with you, dear, but when we were there,
you complained the whole time about the roar!”
When a quotation is interrupted by explanatory words such as
or
use
two sets of quotation marks. Begin the second part of the quotation with a capital letter if
it is a complete sentence.
“Notre Dame, Michigan, and Alabama are the teams,” said the coach, “with the best
records in college football.”
“Alabama coach Bear Bryant has won the most games,” she continued. “He won 323
games in his career.”
Original quotation: “I don’t care about your horrid little frog,” Valerie screeched.
Indirect quotation: Valerie screeched that she didn’t care about the horrid little frog.
Use single quotation marks around a quotation within a quotation.
During the discussion, he said, “Remember that she ends the novel by stating, ‘The
land went slowly back to pasture and then to forest. In a hundred years, no one knew it
had ever existed.’”
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Never use quotation marks in an indirect quotation (a quotation that does not repeat a
person’s exact words).
In writing dialogue, begin a new paragraph and use a new set of quotation marks every
time the speaker changes.
“What do you feel like doing?” Mark asked when we had all gathered at the corner.
“How about we go shoot some hoops at the playground,” suggested Khalid.
“We could do that—if we had a basketball,” answered Mark.
Exercise 1 Add quotation marks where necessary. If the sentence is correct as written, write C
in the blank.
“No man ever became extremely wicked all at once,” wrote the Roman dramatist
Juvenal.
1. “While it is not surprising that Texas has the most farms of any state, the state in second
place may surprise you,”the speaker said.“It’s Missouri.”
Unit 12, Punctuation, Abbreviations, and Numbers
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2. “The only reason for her lateness,”sniffed Marian,“is that she doesn’t respect us enough
to try to be on time.”
C
3. Did Jason explain to you what he wanted?
4. “The Persian cat is considered the height of elegance,”the book stated,“with its long,
luxurious fur and haughty, regal manner.”
5. “I remember very clearly,”said Grandfather,“when President Franklin Roosevelt said,
‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.’”
6. “Let me tell you about our special,”said the waiter with a smile.“Today we’re featuring
roast leg of lamb with mint jelly, roast potatoes, and green beans.”
C
7. The police officer said that Mom was going 42 miles an hour in a 35-mile-an-hour zone.
8. “What do you think you’re doing with that can of shaving cream?”Dad asked sharply.
9. “I’m afraid you’ve forgotten,”said William,“that the coach said,‘ The first three finishers
in each event will advance to the finals.’”
10. Pointing to the slide, the lecturer said,“The platypus is without question one of the
oddest mammals on Earth.”
11. Abraham Lincoln said that there is no grievance that is a fit object of redress by mob
law.
Mechanics
12. “Put the pie plate on the counter when you’re finished,”Dad said.
13. Danielle said with a laugh,“I really screamed when that person jumped out and said
‘Boo!’”
14. “Don’t shoot!”cried the commander.“They’re carrying a white flag!”
15. Jeff screamed at the top of his lungs,“Come on, Panthers!”
C
16. The French essayist Michel de Montaigne believed that saying is one thing and doing
another.
17. “Some circumstantial evidence is very strong,”says Thoreau in
“such as when
you find a trout in the milk.”
18. “If you will read page 6 of your manual,”said the computer technician, shaking his
head,“you’ll find it says,‘ Never place food or drinks on top of your monitor.’”
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C
Name ___________________________________________________ Class _________ Date ____________________
Lesson 90
Quotation Marks: Other Uses
Use quotation marks to enclose the titles of short works, such as short stories, short
poems, essays, newspaper and magazine articles, book chapters, songs, and single
episodes of a television series.
“Peasants” (short story)
“The Green Jaguar” (chapter)
“Tintern Abbey” (poem)
“Poor Wandering One” (song title)
“Stay Fit with Exercise” (article)
“Fall Into Life” (essay)
“A Holiday Celebration” (episode of a television series)
Use quotation marks to enclose unfamiliar slang and other unusual or original
expressions.
When she was little, my sister wouldn’t go anywhere without her “bunkie,” a
dreadfully ratty old blanket that she loved dearly.
Use quotation marks to enclose a definition that is stated directly.
Smorgasbord is the Swedish word meaning “sandwich table.”
closing quotation marks.
“Can’t Explain,” “I Can See for Miles,” and “Happy Jack” were three of the Who’s
early hit songs.
Always place a colon or a semicolon
closing quotation marks.
Mom pointed out why I should read the article “Organizing Your Life”: my room is a
total mess.
Place the question mark or exclamation point
is part of the quotation.
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Always place a comma or a period
the closing quotation marks when it
My favorite song from the musical Oliver is “Where Is Love?”
Place the question mark or exclamation point
it is part of the entire sentence.
the closing quotation marks when
Have you ever read the short story “To Build a Fire”?
If both the sentence and the quotation at the end of the sentence need a question mark (or
an exclamation point), use only one punctuation mark and place it
the closing
quotation marks.
Who called and asked “Would you like to go to the soccer game?”
Unit 12, Punctuation, Abbreviations, and Numbers
273
Name ___________________________________________________ Class _________ Date ____________________
Exercise 1 Add quotation marks and other punctuation as needed.
“There’s no question that Colonel Sidebottom committed the crime,” the detective said.
“What puzzles me is how he got out of the locked room.”
1. When the old fisherman asked me if I was using“spinners”or“bobbers,”I had to admit I was just
putting pieces of bread on my hook.
2. “The angelfish in Maria’s aquarium,”I cried, “are the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen!”
3. Music tempo notation includes some of the following terms:
meaning“fast”;and
meaning“slow”;
meaning“very fast.”
4. For Tuesday, please read the chapter entitled“Energy and Metabolism.”
5. I’ve never seen Mom laugh so hard in her life as when the jar of mayonnaise fell on the floor
and Dad just looked up from his book and said, “No, thank you!”
6. A gherkin, a kind of small pickle, comes from the Dutch word
the plural of
“cucumber.”
7. The airplane flight attendant introduced himself as Sean and asked, “Would anyone like a
magazine?”
Mechanics
9. “Excuse me, where is the social security office?”the woman asked at the desk.
10. My mom’s favorite song is“Angie”by the Rolling Stones.
11. “That girl will be a success at anything she tries,”Ms. Porter said, “because she has confidence
in herself.”
12. Here’s the reason I don’t like Matthew Arnold’s poem“Dover Beach”:it’s entirely too
melancholy.
13. “It’s possible that you could have seen a copperhead,”the ranger said, “although that snake is
rare in this part of the country.”
14. Who asked, “Which way to the cafeteria?”
15. “I wonder if I could reach that window?”the cat thought as she eyed the slightly opened
first-floor window.
16. To learn more about solar power, I read the article entitled“Harnessing the Sun’s Awesome
Energy.”
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8. Do you know who wrote the short story“The Lady or the Tiger”?