Embedding Quotations in a Sentence

1. Embedding Quotations in a Sentence

2. Each piece of quoted material in a paragraph must have a transition that gives the context and background for that quote.

3. Embedding quotations using transition helps quoted material flow naturally and coherently into your paragraph.

4. Example (transition is in bold):While traveling on a bus, the author is “Heart-filled, head-filled with glee”(2).

5. When written properly, the reader should not be able to hear where the quotation marks are when the sentence is read aloud.

6. A properly embedded quotation creates a seamless transition from the background information to the quoted material.

7. When done poorly, the transition is choppy, incomplete, and predictable.

8. Poor example: This is shown by “And he was no whit bigger” (6).

9. The prior example does not make sense when read aloud. Every sentence in a paragraph must make sense, regardless of whether or not it contains quoted material.

10. You may need to change words within your quote so that the sentence is grammatically correct and is coherent.

11. When changing words in a sentence indicate the change by placing brackets [ ] around the change in the word or the changed word.

12. To omit words in the middle of a long quote, use ellipses (…)

13. Example: The other boy “called me ‘Nigger.’ / […] That’s all that I remember” (8-12).

14. Notice, anytime you change or add something in a quote, you must use a bracket to indicate your change. In this case, the original lines 9 through 11 were omitted and were represented by […].

15. Those lines were omitted because the purpose was to show the event and the consequence.

16. How to create a good transition into a quotation:

17. 1) give background and context for all quoted material -- what is happening, who is speaking

18. 2) only use the most important part of the quote (for a short paper, ideally less than 10 words)

19. 3) read your sentence aloud--can you “hear” the quotation marks? You shouldn’t.

20. 4) change word tense if necessary, and omit unnecessary words and phrases; use ellipses and brackets to indicate your changes

21. Write a transition of your own using the following quote from “Tableau” on lines 5-8:

22. “From lowered blinds the dark folk stare, / And here the fair folk talk, / Indignant that these two should dare / In unison to walk” (5-8).