Do quotation marks go inside or outside brackets?
When using quotation marks with brackets, the use of the marks typically follows the guidelines of the style manual that you are using. Generally, the quotation marks should go inside the brackets if they apply to the material that is inside the brackets.
This is especially true in American English. However, if the material inside the brackets is a complete sentence, then the period would be placed inside the brackets, with the quotation marks staying outside them.
For example, the following sentence would follow the American English rules: She said, “I understand.” He responded, “That’s great [The period should go inside the brackets. ].” The British convention is the opposite, which means the quotation marks should go outside the brackets, with the period being placed outside the brackets as well.
For example: She said, “I understand.” He responded, “That’s great” [The period should go outside the brackets.]. Therefore, it’s important to follow the rules of the style manual that you are using to ensure accuracy.
Do you use commas before or after a quotation examples?
In regards to using commas before or after quotations, the basic rule is that a comma should always be placed after the quote as a way to introduce it and indicate that the words are being quoted. However, depending on where the quote appears in the sentence, it may also be necessary to use a comma before the quote as well.
For example, if the quote is being used as part of a larger sentence, the comma should go before. For example, “I saw her yesterday,” she said. Here, the comma is used to introduce the quote, as well as to make the sentence into two separate thoughts.
On the other hand, if the quote is being used to define a word or idea, no comma is necessary beforehand. For example, education is the “ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or self-confidence.”
As you can see, no comma is used before the quote as it is being used to define a word or concept.
Do I need a comma before a quote?
Yes, you need a comma before a quote in order to introduce the quote. The comma shows that the quote is coming, and helps to distinguish the quote from the rest of the sentence, making it easier for the reader to know what is being said.
For example: Joe said, “I never want to do that again”. Here, the comma after the word “said” introduces the quote, indicating to the reader that the quote is coming.
Do commas go inside quotes for titles MLA?
Yes, according to MLA Style, commas and periods should always go inside the quotation marks. This applies to titles of source material, regardless of the length of the title. For example, “The Cat in the Hat,” or “The Great Gatsby.”
While some other citation styles place periods and commas outside of the quotation marks, MLA Style dictates that they should go inside the marks.
How do you punctuate MLA format?
When writing in MLA style, it is important to use proper punctuation. The core elements of punctuation that are necessary for MLA formatting are as follows:
1. Use commas to separate independent clauses when a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, yet, so, for, nor) is used.
2. Use colons after introductory clauses to introduce a list, quote, or idea.
3. Use semi-colons to separate units in a series when one or more of the units contain commas.
4. Use question marks following direct questions.
5. Use an exclamation point to denote strong emotion or emphasis.
6. Use apostrophes to indicate possession when a noun is singular and end in ‘s’ when a noun is plural.
7. Use quotation marks when citing dialogue, short titles, and words used in a special way.
8. Do not place punctuation marks at the end of a title, but place all other punctuation marks inside the quotation marks.
9. Place the punctuation mark before the citation when citing a source, unless the citation comes after a quotation.
By understanding, observing, and adhering to the basic rules of punctuation in MLA style, writers can ensure that their work is correctly formatted and properly punctuated.
Do you put exclamation mark inside quotations MLA?
No, according to the MLA Handbook (8th edition), the rules for punctuation within quotation marks state that only the punctuation that was used in the original material should appear in the quoted material.
For example, if the material includes an exclamation mark, the quoted material should also include an exclamation mark. However, if the material does not include an exclamation mark, the quoted material should not include one either.
What are the 3 rules for using quotations?
The three rules for using quotations are:
1. Make sure to properly cite your sources. Whenever you use quotations, you must provide information about the source in order to give proper credit and acknowledgement. This includes both in-text citations and a corresponding entry in the works cited page for MLA or the references page for APA.
2. Use quotation marks to indicate the exact words from the source that have been used. This is important for accurately representing the source, as well as for avoiding plagiarism. Additionally, quotations must be used correctly in order to preserve the original context.
3. Use quotations selectively and sparingly. Quotations should only be used when the speaker or author’s exact words are necessary to support your argument. Additionally, quotations should never be used to replace your own original writing or ideas.
Do quotes go inside the exclamation point?
No, quotes generally should not go inside of an exclamation point. An exclamation point is used to add emphasis or excitement to a statement, and can be used as an indicator of an imperative or strong command.
Quotation marks, on the other hand, denote direct speech or phrases. Generally, quotation marks should not be used with an exclamation point, since they take away from the emphasis provided by the exclamation.
Additionally, including both quotation marks and an exclamation point can confuse readers and make it difficult to determine the true meaning of the statement.
How do you punctuate British vs American English?
The difference between British and American English when it comes to punctuation is primarily in the use of quotation marks (also known as inverted commas) and other punctuation marks. In British English, the “inverted comma” rule is commonly used, which requires that punctuation marks such as periods and commas always go inside the closing quotation mark.
In American English, the “logical” or “period-outside-the-quotes” rule is often used, which requires that punctuation marks such as periods and commas are placed outside of the closing quotation mark if they are not part of the quotation itself.
Additionally, American English makes use of double quotation marks or “quotation marks” while British English has traditionally made use of single quotation marks or ‘inverted commas’. Both British and American English make use of the same rules for titles and quotations, but the use of single quotation marks in British English can easily create confusion for non-native speakers of the language.
Furthermore, American English does not use a space between words and ending punctuation, while British English does. For example, in American English, the sentence “I love animals” would be written as “I love animals.”, whereas in British English it would be written as “I love animals.”.
What is the punctuation of American English?
The punctuation of American English generally follows the same rules as British English, with a few exceptions. The main differences are related to the style of quotation marks used, the use of a comma before a coordinating conjunction (such as ‘and’ or ‘but’), and the use of the serial comma (also known as the Oxford comma).
In American English, quotation marks come in two types: Double (“”) or single (”). For titles and citations, doubles are used, while single quotation marks are used for quotations within those particular phrases.
In relation to comma usage, American English calls for a comma before the coordinating conjunction when used to join two independent clauses. In British English, this is typically not the case.
As for the serial comma, American English typically calls for it, while British English does not. When listing three or more items, the American style is to use a comma after each item in the list, including before the coordinating conjunction.
So, for example, if you were to list three items, the proper punctuation would be as follows: “apples, oranges, and bananas.”
To summarize, American English generally follows the same rules as British English—with a few exceptions. These exceptions include the style of quotation marks used, the use of a comma before a coordinating conjunction, and the use of the serial comma.
Do you put a comma before and in British English?
Yes, a comma should be placed before the word ‘and’ in British English. This is to make it clearer how a sentence is structured and to make its meaning clearer. For example, if you wanted to say “My mum, my dad and my brother are at the park”, the comma before and would help to indicate that all three of them together were at the park, rather than just one of them.
This is just one example of how the use of the comma before ‘and’ can make the meaning of a sentence clearer. It’s recommended to use commas with ‘and’ in cases like this, though there are exceptions.
For instance, if the sentence doesn’t need to be dissected, commas may be omitted.
Why do British use single quotation marks?
In British English, single quotation marks (also called inverted commas) are the most common type of quotation marks used in writing. They are used to indicate direct speech – the exact words spoken by someone – as well as for quotations from books and other sources.
They are also used to enclose titles of articles, stories, and poems. Single quotation marks also tend to be used when reporting the speech of someone else.
The use of single quotation marks reflects a preference for style in British English spelling, which favors the use of single quotation marks over double quotation marks. This is in contrast to American English, which uses double quotation marks in preference to single quotation marks.
The choice of single or double quotation marks is largely dependent on the type of writing being done, but the general rule in British English is to use single quotation marks for quotations and direct speech.
Why do Brits say inverted commas?
In the United Kingdom, the terms “inverted commas”, “quotation marks” and “speech marks” are all used to refer to the same thing – a pair of punctuation marks used to indicate direct speech, a quotation, or to highlight certain words.
The term “inverted commas” is used to describe punctuation that looks like two small commas, one pointing upwards and the other downwards – “like this”. This is in contrast to the quotation marks used in other countries, which are usually two straight, vertical lines of equal length – “like this”.
In the UK, the term “inverted commas” can be traced back to the 15th century when type-setters use to write the two commas out in their entirety, with the two points facing each other (‘like this’). Over time, printers started to abbreviate the commas to a single inverted comma as a time-saving measure and the term stuck – “inverted commas” is still used to this day.
What’s the difference between a single and a double quotation mark in English?
In English, the difference between a single and a double quotation mark is that a single quotation mark (‘ ’) is used to indicate a quote within a quote, whereas a double quotation mark (“ ”) is used to indicate a direct quote.
Additionally, in some languages, single quotation marks are used to indicate speech, known as “scare quotes”, whereas in English, double quotation marks are used for this purpose.
