- Quotation marks are a type of punctuation that sets words and passages apart from the rest of the text.
- Use quotation marks to quote a source directly, show dialogue, signal the titles of short works, doubt the validity of a word, discuss a word without its intended meaning, or differentiate a nickname.
- Several other essential rules exist for correctly using quotation marks, including when to use single versus double quotation marks.
Quotation marks have many essential functions in grammar. However, knowing the rules behind them can get confusing when striving for clear and correct writing. Here, we explain the must-know guidelines for proper quotation mark usage, including examples for each.
Table of contents
When to use single quotation marks
Other rules for quotation marks
What are quotation marks?
Quotation marks are a type of punctuation with several different functions. They indicate a quotation or direct speech and set words and passages apart from the rest of the text. They signal the use of someone else’s words to help distinguish between the source’s voice and the quoted material.
Quotation marks are also used to indicate the titles of creative works and highlight specific terms or phrases, often emphasizing tone.
When to use quotation marks
Use quotation marks to draw attention to words or language in your writing. It helps to break down the rules for when to use quotation marks by their function. Below, we list the seven main uses for quotation marks.
1 To quote a source directly or indirectly
Direct quotes use the exact words from a source and require quotation marks. Indirect quotes restate or paraphrase those words or ideas and don’t require quotation marks.
Use quotation marks to indicate a direct quote or passage copied verbatim from another source. If you’re using the same word, sentence, or phrase as another author, put those words between quotation marks. This is most common in nonfiction writing when a writer uses a phrase or sentence from a preexisting source, usually to support their thesis.
Indirect quotes
An indirect quote lets you capture or summarize what someone said or wrote without using their exact words. It helps to convey the tone or meaning of your source without quoting them directly.
2 To show dialogue or transcribe speech
Use quotation marks to represent speech in written text. In nonfiction, they’re commonly used to transcribe a person’s statement, as with an interview or eyewitness account. In fiction, they’re used for writing dialogue or whenever a character says something out loud.
3 To signal the titles of creative works
Aside from quotes and speech, English also uses quotation marks for the titles of creative works. Certain types of works—but not all—use quotation marks around their titles so the reader knows the work is a reference.
AP (Associated Press) style and the Chicago style offer different guidelines for quotation marks for titles. AP style uses quotation marks for titles of creative works like books, movies, songs, TV shows, and other compositions. Chicago style uses quotation marks for titles of shorter works, such as poems, articles, and chapters, but uses italics for books and periodical titles.
4 To set apart a word to show irony, sarcasm, or skepticism (scare quotes)
Scare quotes are used to show that the writer doubts the validity of a word. They commonly show irony, sarcasm, or how something is “popularly termed.” They can have the same meaning as the phrase so-called, including suspicious insinuation.
Scare quotes generally appear as quotation marks around a single word or sometimes a phrase. They also require the proper context so the reader understands why the writer doubts or is qualifying the word’s usage. Scare quotes in writing are the origin of the air quotes gesture in in-person speech.
5 To discuss words
If you want to discuss a word, phrase, or letter in writing without using its intended meaning, set it apart with quotation marks. Depending on the styling format, some writers alternatively use italics without quotation marks.
6 To differentiate a nickname from a given name
If you write a person’s nickname alongside their given name, set it apart with quotation marks so the reader knows it’s not part of their formal name. The standard is to place the quoted nickname between the first name and the surname, although that’s not necessarily a rule.
No quotes are necessary if the nickname is how a famous person is most commonly recognized, as with many historical figures.
7 To indicate inches for height
Using quotation marks to indicate height is informal yet widely accepted. The quotation mark is typically used to denote inches, and the apostrophe denotes feet. To indicate the measurement correctly, place the marks directly after the number with no space.
When to use single quotation marks
One of the most common points of confusion with quotes is when to use single versus double quotation marks. In American English, single quotation marks are used only for quotes that appear inside other quotes. For example, if you’re quoting a passage that already features a quote, use double quotation marks for the main quote and single quotation marks for the quote within a quote.
However, this applies only to American English. British English reverses the rules: Single quotes are used primarily for quotes, dialogue, titles, etc., and double quotes are used only within other quotes.
Other rules for quotation marks
There are a few other important rules to remember for using quotation marks correctly:
1 Use quotation marks in pairs
Quotation marks come in pairs, with an opening quotation mark at the beginning and a closing one at the end of the quote. This signals the beginning and end of direct speech or quoted material and helps differentiate it from the surrounding text.
2 Place punctuation marks inside quotation marks
In American English, punctuation marks are typically placed inside quotation marks, with some exceptions. In British English, punctuation marks are placed outside the quotation marks unless they are part of the original quotation. The following rules and examples focus on American English.
Using commas with quotation marks
Place a comma inside the quotation marks at the end of a quoted phrase.
Because you want to attach the speaker to their dialogue, use a comma rather than a period to end the quote inside the quotation marks.
Breaking up a quote with commas
If you’re breaking up a quotation, place a comma after the first part of the quote (inside quotation marks), followed by a comma and space before the second part (outside the quotation marks). Place both parts of the quote within their own set of quotation marks.
Here, commas distinguish the spoken words from the rest of the sentence. The commas separate the direct speech of the father (“My goodness,” at the beginning, and “take off your dirty shoes before coming into the house” at the end) from the reporting clause (“said my father”).
You can skip the comma before or after the quote for short quotes or phrases within a sentence if they flow naturally.
Using periods with quotation marks
Place the period inside the quotation marks when a quotation comes at the end of a sentence. The quotation can be introduced with a transitional phrase followed by a comma, helping separate the spoken words from the rest of the sentence.
Using a period elsewhere inside quotation marks is correct if your quoted material includes multiple sentences. Place a comma inside the quotation mark if using a reporting clause after the quote.
Using colons with quotation marks
Colons are typically placed outside quotation marks unless they are part of the quoted material.
When a colon is part of the quoted material, place it inside the quotation marks to indicate that what follows it elaborates on or continues the thought introduced before the colon.
Using semicolons with quotation marks
As with a colon, place a semicolon outside quotation marks regardless of whether it’s before or after a quotation.
Use a semicolon inside quotation marks when it’s part of the quoted material.
3 Do question marks and exclamation marks go inside quotes?
If the question mark or exclamation mark is part of the quote, place it inside the quotation marks.
If the question mark or exclamation mark is not part of the quote but part of a question or statement, place it outside the quotation marks.
4 Capitalize the first letter of the quoted sentence
If you’re quoting a complete sentence, capitalize the first letter of the first word, just like a typical sentence. But suppose you place the quotation mid-sentence, forming a syntactical part of the sentence. In that case, it begins with a lowercase letter, even if the original sentence begins with a capitalized letter.
However, no capitalization is necessary if you’re not quoting a complete sentence. This includes individual words, phrases, or separate clauses.
5 Include an opening quotation mark at the beginning of each new quoted paragraph
Some quoted passages are longer than others. If you’re quoting two or more paragraphs, place opening quotation marks at the beginning of each new paragraph. But make sure to place closing quotation marks only at the end of the entire passage, not at the end of each paragraph.
Here’s what the email said:
“It’s been a long time. I hope you’re well.
“I’m writing because I’m coming to Atlanta for work, and I was wondering if you’d like to meet up.”
6 Use [sic] for misspellings or grammar errors in a quotation
Use [sic] within quotations to indicate that any spelling, punctuation, grammatical errors, or unusual phrases are part of the original quoted material. This shows that it is not a mistake in the transcription and distances you from errors in the content.
Quotation marks FAQs
What is the function of quotation marks?
Quotation marks primarily set apart certain words, usually to indicate direct quotes and to signify the titles of certain works or that a phrase does not use a word’s intended meaning.
When are quotation marks used?
Use quotation marks to indicate a direct quote, transcribe speech to text, signify titles of small works like poems, show that the validity of a word is in doubt, discuss words as words without referencing their intended meaning, and set apart nicknames from formal names.
What’s the difference between quotation marks and italics for titles?
Both quotation marks and italics are used for the titles of works, but certain types of works use only quotes, and others use only italics. In general, short-form works like poems, songs, or short stories use quotation marks, while long-form works like books, films, or stage plays use italics.
