Quotation Marks and Other Punctuation
 Everybody knows that quotation marks surround quotations. And that the opening quotation mark always goes right before the first word of the quotation. But many people have trouble figuring where the closing quotation mark goes. That’s where ProofreadNOW.com comes in. “All the time,” as our management says.
The following are basic rules for where closing quotation marks are placed with respect to accompanying punctuation.
In America, commas and periods always (well, we can’t think of an exception, but we better say “almost always”) go inside the closing quotation mark.
“It was fun to go water skiing on Long Lake.”
“We skied the length of the lake,” Tallulah said.
[In British punctuation, periods and commas go inside or outside depending on "sense", as the Oxford Guide to Style puts it. But that's another story for another GT.]
Colons and semicolons go outside closing quotation marks.
There are two reasons why we call her “Baby”: she is one, and in our minds it will forever be an endearing appellation.
I love the phrase, “When in the course of human events…”; it is immediately engaging and inspiring.
Question marks and exclamation points go inside sometimes, outside other times. It depends on whether the quoted material itself is a question or an exclamation, or not. These are instances when the question is confined to the quoted material:
“Can you swim?” asked the lifeguard.
Amos heard the question, “Friend or foe?” and froze.
Here, the exclamation is confined to the quoted material:
“Look out for the other boats!” he yelled as he rose up out of the water.
Here are instances when the questions are not strictly the quoted material, so the mark goes outside the closing quotation:
Who said “Give me liberty or give me death”?
Who wrote “The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner”?
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Comments (17)
being with my family would be my priority. hope you have a great day randy !
Getting loose ends tied up. Blessings to you.
My Kids.
Making sure, one more time that my family and friends knew where I would be and how to get there.
Thanks for the tips! ryc, yes, we had a good conversation….Be blessed….Mike
Praying for his family and friends. It’s always a comfort to know that Christians never have to say “Goodbye.”
That’s a GOOD question.
Sense I believed upon Jesus as my Lord and Savior,
I would not have to worry about dying. I will see JESUS.
But I would probable be thinking about the family that I would be leaving behind. Praying for them to live and for their salvation / having a relationship with JESUS.
This is just a few things that come to my thoughts.
About your friend, God does answers prayers. I believe Kelly is in Heaven too.
Have A Good Day!
Blessings,
“Susie” :0)
ryc: Thank you! thank you very much!
Have you ever read~ Eats, Shoots and Leaves? I have it haven’t finished it yet… you can probably tell. lol
I would concentrate on my children and making my passing better for them, on letting the people I love know it, and just living life I suppose.
I’ll keep in mind your qoutation marks and punctuation tips, pretty confusing sometimes.
If I have two weeks to live (gosh! two week’s too short, lol.)I’d probably want to spend my time with my family, special friends and do some last minute good things for others, like: visit depressed area to feed the kids, go to a public hospital and bring toys to terminally ill children or rather have a story telling session with them, and pay a visit to a friend whom you have a fight with. Wow, that’s a long list to do, but I’d do all these, really.
Have a nice weekend ahead of you.
Annika
it won’t be grammer. No,really, I think I would want to watch the sun go down.
I would make sure that I told everyone I met where I was going and why.
Hey, those are nifty tips, which I need to know!
If I had two weeks left, I would go to Hawaii and be w/ my ALL of my kids. I would eat at Keneke’s and hang out at the beach w/ my family.
If I were asked what my last wish would be, it would be for the family to see to it, our youngest boy never spends the night anywhere away from my husband, not w/ family, not w/ friends. – Too many bad things happened to our kids when we allowed that in the past.
Great Tips!!!
I am so sorry about your friend…”Heaven is a garden~where we will meet~again those dear ones who have made our worlds.” (((Angel Hugs & Love& Prayers…)))~The Island Concierge~.
RYQ: I would be concentrating on all the people…family, friends~who have made my world shine…~.
RYQ: I would be concentrating on all the people who have touched my life with love, kindness & joy~& espec. my family and friends…~.
Whoops! I thought xanga ate my first RYQ comment!!!