Do you put punctuation marks inside quotation marks or outside them?
It depends:
- whether the punctuation mark belongs to the quote
- where the quote appears in the sentence.
The punctuation mark goes inside the closing quotation mark when it belongs to the quote.
Write this
‘Isn’t hickory a type of lettuce?’ Desi asked.
Not this
‘Isn’t hickory a type of lettuce’? Desi asked.
A phrase like ‘Desi asked’, ‘he said’ or ‘they replied’ is called the ‘attribution’.
When you quote a sentence that is followed by an attribution, replace the quote’s full stop with a comma. If the quote finishes the sentence, keep its full stop inside the closing quotation mark.
Write this
‘No, that’s chicory my dear,’ Fiona replied with admirable restraint.
Pete said, ‘Well, I like chickadees.’
Not this
‘No, that’s chicory my dear’, Fiona replied with admirable restraint.
Pete said, ‘Well, I like chickadees’.
The punctuation mark goes outside the closing quotation mark when it belongs to the sentence, not the quote.
Write this
Did you hear him say, ‘He’s a goner’?
Not this
Did you hear him say, ‘He’s a goner?’
When there are 2 punctuation marks – one for the quote and one for the sentence – decide which is stronger and use it. Don’t use both.
Write this
The Speaker called, ‘Order!’
Not this
The Speaker called, ‘Order!’.
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Last updated
This page was updated Thursday 19 December 2024.