Writing Lab

1. Writing Lab Punctuating Quotations

2. Commas and Periods • When a comma comes before a direct quotation, place it outside of the quotation marks. • John stood up and said, “Today is the day.” • When a comma comes after a direct quotation, it goes inside of the quotation marks. • “When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut,” the toddler said proudly. • Periods always go inside quotations marks. • The dog said “woof.”

3. Semicolons and Colons • Always place semicolons and colons outside of quotation marks. • The graffito on a bathroom wall reads “ESP should be outlawed”; underneath this quote is “I knew you’d say that!”

4. Exclamation Points and Question Marks • Exclamation points and question marks can go inside or outside of quotation marks. • If a quotation is making an exclamation or asking a question, place the exclamation point or question mark inside of the end quotation. • Which philosopher said, “I think; therefore, I am”? • The guard yelled, “Halt!”

5. Quotes within quotes • When a quoting a quote within a quote, use double quotes on the outside quote and single quotes on the inside. • Dr. Feinstein opened his lecture by saying, “Albert Einstein reminded us that ‘Great spirits always receive violent opposition from mediocre minds.’”

6. That’s all, folks! • This lesson is part of the UWF Writing Lab Grammar Mini-Lesson Series • Lessons adapted from Real Good Grammar, Too by Mamie Webb Hixon • To find out more, visit the Writing Lab’s website where you can take a self-scoring quiz corresponding to this lesson