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The exact rules for quotation marks vary
greatly from language to language and even from country to country
within the English-speaking world. In North American usage, you
should place double quotation marks (") before and
after directly quoted material and words of dialogue:
- One critic ended his glowing review with this superlative: "It
is simply the best film ever made about potato farming."
- May replied, "This is the last cookie."
You also use quotation marks are used to set off
certain titles, usually those of minor or short works -- essays,
short stories, short poems, songs, articles in periodicals, etc. For
titles of longer works and separate publications, you should use
italics (or underlined, if italics are not available). Use italics
for titles of books, magazines, periodicals, newspapers, films, plays,
long poems, long musical works, and television and radio programs.
- Once when I was sick, my father read me a story called "The Happy
Flower," which was later made into a movie entitled Flower
Child, starring Tiny Tim.
Sometimes, you will use quotation marks to set off
words specifically referred to as terms, though some publishers prefer
italics:
- I know you like the word "unique," but do you really have
to use it ten times in one essay?
- "Well" is sometimes a noun, sometimes an adverb, sometimes
an adjective and sometimes a verb.
Quotations Marks with Other Punctuation
One question that frequently arises with quotation marks is where to place other punctuation marks in relation to
them. Again, these rules vary from region to region, but North
American usage is quite simple:
- Commas and periods always go inside
the quotation marks.
- I know you are fond of the story "Children of the Corn,"
but is it an appropriate subject for your essay?
- "At last," said the old woman, "I can say I am truly
happy."
- Semicolons and colons always go
outside the quotation marks.
- She never liked the poem "Dover Beach"; in fact, it was her
least favourite piece of Victorian literature.
- He clearly states his opinion in the article "Of Human
Bondage": he believes that television has enslaved and diminished
an entire generation.
- Question marks, exclamation marks, and
dashes go inside quotation marks when they
are part of the quotation, and outside when they do not.
- Where is your copy of "The Raven"?
- "How cold is it outside?" my mother asked.
Note that in North American usage, you should use single
quotation marks (') only to set off quoted material (or a
minor title) inside a quotation.
- "I think she said `I will try,' not `I won't try,'" explained Sandy.
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