While this example demonstrates commas inside quotation marks, the period is not inside quotation marks because the quotation marks are not at the end of the sentence.
For instance, the first example in our Rule 1 of Quotation Marks is, The sign changed from “Walk,” to “Don’t Walk,” to “Walk” again within 30 seconds. The rule stating that periods are placed inside quotation marks of course applies to when both the period and the quotation marks appear at the end of the sentence. Perhaps you have far too complicated the rules. Question marks and exclamation points are considered stronger than the period. The rule is that the “stronger” mark wins. Rule: In the above three examples, only one ending punctuation mark was used with the quotation marks. (Because you will rarely need an exclamation point within the double quotation marks and not within the single quotation marks, there is little sense discussing this.) Rule: If the question is inside the double quotation marks, place the question mark between the single and double quotation marks.Įxamples: Bobbi asked, “Did Delia say, ‘This will never work’?” If a quote inside a quote is a question or exclamation, place the question mark or exclamation point inside the single quotation marks.Įxamples: Bobbi said, “Delia asked, ‘Will this remote control work on my TV?’ ”īobbi said, “Delia shouted, ‘Get your hands off me!’ ” Rule: Question marks and exclamation points, unlike periods, follow logic with their placement. The American rule is that periods always go inside all quotation marks.Īs a courtesy, make sure there is visible space at the start or end of a quotation between adjacent single and double quotation marks.Įxample: Bobbi said, “I read an interesting article titled ‘A Poor Woman’s Journey.’ ” Notice also that the period was placed inside both the single and the double quotation marks. Notice that what Delia said was enclosed in single quotation marks.
Rule: Use single quotation marks inside double quotation marks when you have a quotation within a quotation.Įxample: Bobbi told me, “Delia said, ‘This will never work.’ ” When do we use single quotation marks? Where does the punctuation go with single quotation marks? With just a few rules and examples, you will feel surer about your decisions. Almost all of us have found ourselves confused with double and single quotation marks.