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Brackets Parentheses and Quotation Marks
And then she said, "I have questions about parentheses, brackets, and quotation marks!" This category is for you!
1,263 Questions
Where do you put quotations in a sentence?
Sentences with quotation marks will look like this:
I said, "Walk with me to the store."
Sentences with a quote in them will look like this:
According to Brian's first novel, "The weather was hot and humid that day."
Does a comma still go inside the end quotation mark if the quotations are indicating a book title?
Book titles require either italics or underlining.
Short stories, however, require quotation marks. In this case, you would just put quotation marks around the short story title, and no comma is necessary afterword.
Example:
I love the short story "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.
Are commas placed inside or outside of quotation marks?
The comma is inside the quotation mark if it is part of the quote.
For example:
John said, "Please pass the butter, and then could you pour me some milk?" Notice that there is also a comma after the word "said" that is not in quotation marks. This is because "said" is not a part of the quote.
Be careful of indirect quotes which do not use quotation marks, such as:
John said to please pass the butter and then pour him some milk. An easy mistake is to write:
John said "to please pass the butter and then pour him some milk" which would be incorrect since that is not what John said.
Who wrote Familiar Quotations?
"Familiar Quotations" is a book compiled by John Bartlett. The original version, titled "Bartlett's Familiar Quotations," was first published in 1855 and has since been revised and updated multiple times by various editors.
In fact if the narrator interjects after a piece of dialoge insert a before closing quotaion mark?
Yes, it is common practice to use an em dash or comma before the closing quotation mark if the narrator interjects after a piece of dialogue. This format helps differentiate the dialogue from the narrator's commentary.
How do you indent a direct quote?
In American English, use single quotes within double quotes.
Example:
She said, "Then I heard him say, 'You get out of here!'"
In British English, use double quotes within single quotes.
Example:
She said, 'Then I heard him say, "You get out of here!"'
When the attribution (e.g., 'he said') follows the quote, you should use a comma inside the quotation marks before the attribution and follow it with a period after the attribution. For example: "I am going to the store," he said.
Heart Quotes are useful to have when one wishes to develop and nurture a meaningful relationship. There are several sites where one can find quotes that are appropriate to send to a boy friend or a girl friend.
Should it be a full stop before or after brackets?
If the brackets surround an entire sentence then the full stop at the end of the sentence stays within the brackets. (This is the procedure you should follow.)
If the brackets only surround part of the sentence, the full stop goes outside. This is the procedure you should follow (under normal circumstances).
No, they are always used before.
Examples:
- Beginning Quotation: "Tonight, we will eat pizza," I said.
- Ending Quotation: I said, "Tonight, we will eat pizza."
- Broken Quotation: "Tonight," I said, "we will eat pizza."
See how in each sentence, the comma was always before the quotation marks?
How do use speech marks when writing?
Speech marks are used to indicate when someone is speaking. Place speech marks at the beginning and end of the spoken words. Make sure to include punctuation within the speech marks. For example: "Hello, how are you?" said Sarah.
What punctuation do you use to set off a quote within a quote?
1) You start the quote with double speech marks, eg. "
2) Then you quote the dialogue with a single speech mark, eg. '
3) End your dialogue with the single speech marks, eg. '
4) End the entire quote with double speech marks, eg. "
Here's an example:
"'Isabella Burnell is going to be a servant when she grows up,' said Joe."
Does a period come before or after quotations?
A period does come before a quotation mark if the quotation at the end of the sentence, such as:
Lucy than said, "Hi, Mr. Warner."
If the quotation is not at the end of the sentence, use a comma instead of a period, such as:
"Hi, Mr. Warner," Lucy replied.
When can you use semi quotation?
You can quote as much or as little of what someone has said as long as you use the correct punctuation. If your sentence requires only a semi-quotation rather than a full one, use a semi-quotation, but punctuate it as if it were a full one.
How does Austen go against the grain of traditional romance stories of the period?
Jane Austen's novels often subvert traditional romance tropes by focusing on the economic and social realities of marriage, rather than idealized love. She portrays realistic and complex relationships, with characters making practical, rather than purely emotional, choices. Additionally, Austen's heroines are depicted as independent and clever, challenging the passive female stereotypes of her time.
Can a question mark be in the title of a story?
There is nothing wrong with using a question mark in the title of a story.
Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros? by Shel Silverstein is an example.
What do you put in a story when someone is thinking?
There are various ways to handle this, but one thing you don't need to do is to enclose the thought in quotation marks. You could write the thought in italics.
Example: He considered the situation. If I try to make a break for it, the dog will bite me.
You could also write the thoughts without italics, as long as it's clear to the reader that someone is thinking. Sometimes a writer might insert that information in parentheses.
Example: He considered the situation. If I try to make a break for it (he thought), the dog will bite me.
The important thing is to make sure the reader is never confused.
When can quotation marks be used in a sentence other than showing dialogue?
Quotations are also used to set off the titles of small works, and anytime words are those of someone else (including dialogue).
Quotes are also used about a word to show that the word is being used outside of its normal connotation.
"Marshal, why don't you give Inspector Williams a sample of our 'special' cocktail?"
"Our special cocktail?"
"No Marshal, our 'SPECIAL' cocktail."
"Oh you mean the 'special' cocktail."
"Yes Marshal the 'special' cocktail. You'd like to try our special cocktail wouldn't you Inspector?"
How do you punctuate a quote when it is interrupted by narrative?
When a quote is interrupted by narrative, use ellipses (...) to indicate the omission of text within the quote. Place the punctuation inside the quotation marks at the end of the interrupted speech. Resume the narrative outside the quotation marks.
Do you put quotes around a place in a story?
Yes, when mentioning the name of a specific place in a story, it is common to use quotation marks to set it apart from the rest of the text and denote it as a proper noun. This helps to clearly identify the place and avoid confusion.
Do you put quotes around a road sign in a story?
In a story, it is not necessary to put quotes around a road sign. Simply italicizing the text of the road sign is sufficient to indicate that it is separate from the rest of the narrative.
When writing the title of a movie in a paper do you put it in quotations?
Yes, when writing the title of a movie in a paper, you should italicize it instead of using quotations marks. This follows the standard formatting guidelines for titles of major works in writing.
"The sun dipped behind the mountains, casting a warm glow over the campsite as laughter and chatter filled the air. The smell of cooking fires and the sound of children playing added to the inviting atmosphere."
