A quotation mark is a paired punctuation mark that identifies exact words, spoken dialogue, short titles, or a term discussed as language. American English usually uses double quotation marks, while British English often uses single quotation marks, but a publication’s style guide determines the final choice. Placement rules also change by punctuation type and regional convention.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Quotation marks enclose words presented as verbatim speech or writing.
- Double quotation marks are standard in most American English publishing.
- Single quotation marks commonly mark nested quotations in American English and primary quotations in many British publications.
- American style places periods and commas inside closing quotation marks.
- Question marks and exclamation points go inside only when they belong to the quoted material.
- Straight quotation marks are safest in source code, while curly quotation marks suit ordinary professional prose.
What Is a Quotation Mark?
A quotation mark is a punctuation symbol used in pairs to separate quoted language from the writer’s surrounding sentence. The opening mark introduces the quoted material, and the closing mark signals where that material ends.
Quotation marks can identify a speaker’s exact words, as in Maya said, “The train leaves at six.” They can also mark a short work title, a technical term under discussion, or an expression whose meaning is questionable or ironic. The intended function must be clear from context.
Quotation marks do not automatically make a statement accurate. A writer must preserve the source’s wording when presenting a direct quotation, identify substantial changes, and provide a citation when the source requires one.
Quotation Marks Versus Apostrophes
An apostrophe marks omitted letters, possession, or certain plurals. A quotation mark encloses quoted material.
| Mark | Main function | Correct example | Common confusion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apostrophe | Omission | The class meets at nine o’clock. | Mistaken for a quotation mark |
| Apostrophe | Possession | Jordan’s notebook is blue. | Confused with a single quote |
| Double quotation mark | Direct speech | “Please sit down,” she said. | Used around every emphasized word |
| Single quotation mark | Nested quotation | “He said, ‘Wait here.’” | Used inconsistently inside quotes |
| Straight single mark | Code or plain text | name='Ava' |
Curved automatically by software |
The apostrophe in ’90s is a closing apostrophe shape because it replaces the omitted 19. The correct form is the ’90s, not the ‘90s.
When Should You Use Quotation Marks?
Use quotation marks for direct speech, short verbatim quotations, short titles, defined expressions, and words treated as objects of discussion. Do not use quotation marks merely to add importance; italics, boldface, or a precise word choice usually communicates emphasis more clearly.
Common applications include:
- Direct speech: Elena said, “I submitted the form.”
- A quoted passage: The report calls the result “statistically significant.”
- A short work title: We discussed “The Tell-Tale Heart.”
- A word as a word: The verb “run” has several meanings.
- An informal or questionable label: The company promised a “temporary” closure.
- A quotation within a quotation: “My editor called it ‘a promising draft,’” Luis said.
Quotation marks should not surround ordinary concepts, familiar technical terms, or every phrase copied from a source. Excessive use can make a document appear uncertain and can obscure which words are actually being quoted.
Direct Speech and Dialogue
Quotation marks show the exact words spoken by a character or person. A new paragraph normally begins when the speaker changes, which allows readers to track dialogue even when quotation marks are visually small.
Correct dialogue format:
“Are you ready?” Priya asked.
“Almost,” Daniel said. “I need one more minute.”
A dialogue tag such as she said is part of the same sentence when it follows a quotation. In American publishing, a comma usually separates the tag from a declarative quotation:
“The meeting starts at noon,” Marcus said.
A question or exclamation mark replaces the comma when the quoted words already end with that punctuation:
“Will you attend?” Marcus asked.
“Stop!” the conductor shouted.
If an action follows rather than a speech tag, use a period and begin a new sentence:
“The meeting starts at noon.” Marcus checked his calendar.
The second sentence does not describe how Marcus said the words. It describes an action.
Introducing a Quotation
A comma often follows a short introductory phrase before direct speech, but a complete sentence followed by a formal quotation may use a colon.
| Introduction | Recommended punctuation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Speech tag | Comma | She said, “The file is ready.” |
| Reporting clause | Comma | The witness replied, “I saw the vehicle.” |
| Complete setup sentence | Colon | The notice contained one instruction: “Remain inside.” |
| Integrated sentence | No comma | The witness said that “the vehicle was blue.” |
| Question before a quote | Question mark | What did she mean by “immediately”? |
A comma is not required simply because quotation marks follow. The grammar of the whole sentence determines the punctuation.
Which Quotation Mark Style Should You Choose?
Use the style required by the publication, institution, or country convention. Double quotation marks are the default in American English, while single quotation marks are common for primary quotations in British English, Australian English, and some house styles.
| Context | Typical primary mark | Nested mark | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| US academic prose | Double | Single | “She called it ‘unusual.’” |
| US fiction dialogue | Double | Single | “He said, ‘Stay here.’” |
| UK newspaper style | Single | Double | ‘He said, “Stay here.”’ |
| Technical plain text | Straight double | Straight single | "status": "open" |
| Professional typography | Curly double | Curly single | “She called it ‘unusual.’” |
No universal rule makes one style grammatically superior. Consistency matters more than visual preference. The Chicago Manual of Style, Modern Language Association, and American Psychological Association generally use double quotation marks for ordinary American prose, although each guide has specialized rules.
Straight and Curly Quotation Marks
Straight quotation marks are vertical ASCII characters: " and ‘. Curly quotation marks are typographic characters: “ ” and ‘ ’.
| Feature | Straight marks | Curly marks |
|---|---|---|
| Character examples | "text" |
“text” |
| Typical environment | Code, terminals, plain text | Books, websites, word processors |
| Unicode opening double | U+0022 has no direction | U+201C |
| Unicode closing double | U+0022 has no direction | U+201D |
| Main risk | Less polished typography | Syntax failure in code |
Curly quotation marks improve ordinary reading because opening and closing marks have different shapes. Straight marks remain appropriate when a system expects ASCII syntax, such as a shell command, JSON file, HTML attribute, or programming example.
Where Does Punctuation Go Inside Quotation Marks?
Periods and commas usually go inside closing quotation marks in American English, even when they are not part of the quoted words. British logical punctuation places them inside only when they belong to the quotation.
| Punctuation | American example | Logical or British example |
|---|---|---|
| Period | The label says “Fragile.” | The label says ‘Fragile’. |
| Comma | She described it as “rare,” not impossible. | She described it as ‘rare’, not impossible. |
| Question mark in quote | She asked, “Where is it?” | She asked, ‘Where is it?’ |
| Question mark in sentence | Did he call it “rare”? | Did he call it ‘rare’? |
| Exclamation in quote | The child yelled, “Look!” | The child yelled, ‘Look!’ |
| Exclamation outside quote | Why call it “rare”? | Why call it ‘rare’? |
American placement is a typographic convention, not a claim that the comma belongs to the quoted source. British logical placement distinguishes the source’s punctuation from the sentence writer’s punctuation.
Question marks and exclamation points follow meaning in both systems. If the quoted material is a question, place the mark inside. If the entire surrounding sentence is a question, place it outside.
Can You Put Two Terminal Marks Together?
Avoid duplicate periods. In American style, a sentence ending with a quoted declarative sentence normally has one period inside the closing quotation mark:
He replied, “No.”
Do not write:
He replied, “No.”.
A question mark and a period can occasionally appear together when separate grammatical structures require them, but rewriting usually produces a cleaner sentence. For example, Did she really write “No.”? contains a period belonging to the quoted word and a question mark belonging to the larger question.
How Do You Nest Quotations?
Use alternating quotation marks when one quotation appears inside another. American English normally places double marks around the outer quotation and single marks around the inner quotation.
“The guide says, ‘Turn left at the bridge,’” Omar explained.
British English often reverses the sequence:
‘The guide says, “Turn left at the bridge”,’ Omar explained.
For a quotation inside a quotation inside a quotation, alternate again:
“She said, ‘Tom called it “the final version,”’ before leaving.”
Three levels quickly become difficult to read. At that point, identify the speakers, restructure the sentence, or use a block quotation with clear attribution.
A quotation mark does not close merely because another speaker’s words appear. The outer quotation remains open until the original speaker’s quoted passage ends.
Which Titles Use Quotation Marks?
Quotation marks usually identify shorter works that form part of a larger publication. Italics generally identify independent or complete works.
| Work type | Usual treatment | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Article | Quotation marks | “How Rivers Shape Cities” |
| Chapter | Quotation marks | “Chapter Four: The Crossing” |
| Short story | Quotation marks | “The Garden Party” |
| Poem | Quotation marks | “Ozymandias” |
| Song | Quotation marks | “Fast Car” |
| Book | Italics | Middlemarch |
| Film | Italics | Arrival |
| Journal | Italics | Nature |
| Television series | Italics | The Crown |
| Album | Italics | Blue |
House styles differ for podcast episodes, blog posts, exhibition names, and software documentation. Follow the relevant publication’s rules rather than combining quotation marks and italics without a reason.
How Are Quotations Used in Academic Writing?
Academic writers use quotation marks for exact words and citations, but paraphrases do not require quotation marks. A direct quotation needs a source reference, and a quotation that exceeds the required length may need block formatting instead.
The APA Style standard commonly uses a block quotation for passages of 40 words or more. MLA Style generally uses a block quotation for prose passages longer than four typed lines, although formatting details depend on the edition and quotation type.
| Situation | Quotation marks | Citation requirement | Example treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exact phrase, 3 words | Yes | Usually yes | “collective memory” (Lee 14) |
| Paraphrase | No | Yes | Lee connects memory with identity (14) |
| APA prose quote, 39 words | Yes | Yes | Integrated quotation |
| APA prose quote, 40 words | Usually no | Yes | Indented block |
| MLA prose quote, 4 lines | Usually yes | Yes | Integrated quotation |
| MLA prose quote, over 4 lines | Usually no | Yes | Indented block |
Do not place quotation marks around a paraphrase. Changing a few words while retaining the source’s structure can still constitute unattributed borrowing.
Use brackets to clarify a grammatical change, an ellipsis to show omitted words, and [sic] only when preserving a noteworthy error is necessary. Never silently alter a source’s meaning.
Should Programmers Use Straight Quotes?
Programmers should use straight ASCII quotation marks when a programming language or data format requires them. Curly marks are typographic characters, so copying them into Python, JavaScript, JSON, SQL, HTML, or shell commands can trigger syntax errors.
| Environment | Safe quotation example | Typical failure |
|---|---|---|
| JSON | {"name":"Ava"} |
Curly marks rejected |
| Python | print("Hello") |
Smart quotes cause syntax errors |
| JavaScript | const x = 'open'; |
Unicode quote mismatch |
| HTML | <p class="note"> |
Attribute parsing failure |
| Shell | echo "Ready" |
Command interprets unexpected character |
Turn off automatic smart quotes in code editors and documentation tools that export code. Markdown prose can use curly marks, but fenced code blocks should preserve the exact characters required by the language.
Apostrophes in contractions create a related issue. Code often treats ' and ’ as different characters, even though readers may perceive both as apostrophes.
When Are Italics Better Than Quotation Marks?
Use italics for long or independently published works, foreign words that remain unfamiliar, and emphasis that a style guide permits. Use quotation marks for short works, exact language, and terms whose meaning or status you are examining.
Quotation marks are a poor substitute for precision. The sentence The “new” policy begins Monday suggests doubt or irony, but The revised policy begins Monday states the intended meaning directly.
| Intended function | Better choice | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Book title | Italics | The Odyssey |
| Article title | Quotation marks | “The Future of Transit” |
| Exact wording | Quotation marks | The memo says “effective immediately.” |
| Technical variable | Code styling | user_id |
| Strong emphasis | Precise wording or italics | The deadline is final. |
| Irony or doubt | Quotation marks, sparingly | His “solution” deleted the data. |
Quotation marks around a term can signal distance, skepticism, or a temporary label. That signal should be intentional.
What Are Scare Quotes and Defined Terms?
Scare quotes mark a word or phrase as disputed, ironic, borrowed, euphemistic, or not fully accepted by the writer. They can communicate skepticism, but frequent use makes prose ambiguous and may appear sarcastic.
Examples include:
- The “temporary” closure lasted eighteen months.
- The policy describes contractors as “partners.”
- The supposed “upgrade” removed two functions.
- In this paper, “resilience” means recovery within 24 hours.
A defined term should be introduced clearly rather than placed in quotation marks every time it appears. After defining resilience, a writer can use the term normally unless a later quotation or contrast requires special treatment.
Common Mistakes and Corrections
Using a Closing Mark as an Opening Mark
The opening and closing marks face different directions in curly typography.
- Incorrect: ’quoted text“
- Correct: “quoted text”
The problem often appears when writers type punctuation manually or paste text between incompatible software systems.
Using Double Marks Inside Double Marks
- Incorrect: “She said, “Leave now.””
- Correct: “She said, ‘Leave now.’”
Alternate mark styles or rewrite the sentence when several quotation levels become hard to follow.
Putting a Comma Outside in American Style
- Incorrect in standard American style: He called it “unlikely”, but continued.
- Correct: He called it “unlikely,” but continued.
A British or logical-punctuation publication may choose the first form. The governing style must be consistent throughout the document.
Quoting a Paraphrase
- Incorrect: The study “found that sleep improves memory” when the wording has been substantially changed.
- Correct: The study found that sleep improves memory with a citation, or reproduce the source’s exact words in quotation marks.
Quotation marks claim textual accuracy. They cannot be used as a general citation symbol.
Confusing Decade Apostrophes
- Incorrect: the ‘90s
- Correct: the ’90s
The mark replaces the omitted first two digits. It is an apostrophe, not an opening quotation mark.
Adding Unnecessary Emphasis
- Weak: Please submit the “required” form.
- Clear: Please submit the required form.
Quotation marks can imply that the form is supposedly required. Remove them when no doubt or special usage is intended.
Expert Rules for Reliable Usage
Follow the document’s house style before following personal preference. A technically acceptable US convention can still be wrong for a British newspaper, a university department, or a client’s editorial system.
Treat punctuation as evidence of ownership. Ask whether the mark belongs to the quoted words or to the complete sentence. That question resolves question marks, exclamation points, colons, semicolons, and most quotation-boundary problems.
Do not use quotation marks to repair weak wording. If a phrase sounds inaccurate, vague, or ironic, revise the phrase or explain the qualification instead of placing it in scare quotes.
Preserve source integrity. Direct quotations require exact wording, accurate attribution, and appropriate omission marks. A short quotation is not exempt from those responsibilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are quotation marks always used in pairs?
Quotation marks normally appear as an opening and closing pair around quoted material. A closing quotation mark can appear alone in a shortened form such as the ’90s, but that mark functions as an apostrophe replacing omitted characters. Programming languages may use a single mark to delimit a string, which is a syntax function rather than ordinary prose punctuation.
Do quotation marks go before or after a question mark?
Place the question mark inside quotation marks when the quoted words form the question: She asked, “Are you ready?” Place it outside when the surrounding sentence is the question: Did she say “ready”? The same ownership principle applies to exclamation marks in both American and British writing.
Can quotation marks be used for thoughts?
Quotation marks can represent a character’s directly stated thought in some fiction styles, but many contemporary writers use italics or free indirect discourse instead. A publication’s fiction style determines the choice. Keep internal thoughts distinct from spoken dialogue so readers do not mistake silent reflection for audible speech.
Should a quotation begin with a capital letter?
Capitalize the first word when the quotation is a complete sentence: The instructor said, “Begin now.” Use lowercase when the quoted words form an integrated fragment: The instructor described the exercise as “unusually difficult.” A writer may use brackets when a grammatical adjustment is necessary in an academic quotation.
Are quotation marks required around a nickname?
Quotation marks are not usually required around a person’s nickname when it appears between a first and last name: Charles “Lucky” Luciano. Many style systems omit the marks when the nickname is used alone. Follow the publication’s rules, especially for sports, entertainment, and legal writing.
What is the difference between quotation marks and inverted commas?
Quotation marks and inverted commas are names for the same punctuation family. Quotation marks is the more common term in American English, while inverted commas is frequent in British English. The marks may be single or double, straight or curly, depending on the language variety, typography, and style guide.
The Bottom Line
Quotation marks identify exact speech, verbatim writing, short titles, defined terms, and carefully controlled expressions such as scare quotes. American English generally uses double quotation marks and places commas and periods inside them, while British English often uses single marks and logical punctuation. Choose one consistent system, distinguish quotation marks from apostrophes and italics, and use straight marks whenever code requires exact ASCII characters. The quotation mark definition usage and examples depend on both grammatical function and the style guide governing the document.
