📚 What are Quotation Marks?
Quotation marks (" ") are punctuation marks that come in pairs. They show the exact words someone said or wrote, or they mark titles of short works.
🎯 Uses of Quotation Marks
1. Direct Speech (Dialogue)
Use quotation marks to show someone's exact words
Sarah said, "I love reading books."
"Where are you going?" asked Mom.
The teacher announced, "Class is dismissed."
"I can't believe it!" she exclaimed.
2. Titles of Short Works
Use quotation marks for titles of:
- Short stories
- Poems
- Articles
- Songs
- Chapter titles
- Episodes of TV shows
We read "The Tell-Tale Heart" in class.
My favorite song is "Let It Be" by The Beatles.
I memorized the poem "The Road Not Taken."
💡 Remember:
Longer works (books, movies, albums) use italics instead of quotation marks.
3. Sarcasm or Special Meanings
Use quotation marks to show a word is being used in an unusual or ironic way
His "help" actually made things worse.
The "fresh" fish smelled terrible.
📝 Punctuation with Quotation Marks
Commas and Periods INSIDE
Commas and periods always go inside the closing quotation mark
✓ "I'm going home," she said.
✓ She said, "I'm going home."
❌ "I'm going home", she said.
Question Marks and Exclamation Points
These go inside if they're part of the quote, outside if they apply to the whole sentence
Inside (part of the quote):
She asked, "Where are you going?"
He yelled, "Watch out!"
Outside (not part of the quote):
Did she say, "I'm leaving"?
I can't believe he said "maybe"!
Semicolons and Colons OUTSIDE
Semicolons and colons always go outside the closing quotation mark
She said, "I'll be there"; however, she never showed up.
There are three types of "smart": book smart, street smart, and emotional smart.
💭 Dialogue Rules
1. Start a New Paragraph for Each Speaker
"How are you today?" asked Sarah.
"I'm doing great, thanks!" replied Tom.
"That's wonderful to hear," Sarah said with a smile.
2. Comma Before Dialogue Tag
"I love this book," she said.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"Stop right there!" they shouted.
3. Capitalize First Word of Quote
Mom said, "Dinner is ready."
The sign read, "Keep off the grass."
4. Split Quotations
When a quote is interrupted, use commas and lowercase for the continuing quote
"I think," she said, "we should go home."
"After school," Tom explained, "I have soccer practice."
But if it's two complete sentences:
"I'm tired," she said. "Let's go home."
✏️ Practice Exercise
Add quotation marks and other punctuation correctly. Click to reveal!
1. Where are you going asked Mom
"Where are you going?" asked Mom.
2. I can't wait for summer vacation said Sarah
"I can't wait for summer vacation," said Sarah.
3. My favorite song is Imagine by John Lennon
My favorite song is "Imagine" by John Lennon.
4. Watch out he yelled
"Watch out!" he yelled.
5. I believe she said that we can win
"I believe," she said, "that we can win."
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Comma/Period Outside Quotes
"I'm leaving", she said.
✓ "I'm leaving," she said.
❌ Missing Closing Quote
"I love this book, she said.
✓ "I love this book," she said.
❌ Using Quotes for Emphasis
We have "fresh" cookies! (implies they're NOT fresh)
✓ We have fresh cookies!
Use quotation marks for irony, not emphasis. For emphasis, use bold or italics.
❌ Forgetting New Paragraph for New Speaker
"Hi," said Tom. "Hi," said Sarah. "How are you?" asked Tom.
✓ "Hi," said Tom.
✓ "Hi," said Sarah.
✓ "How are you?" asked Tom.
🎯 Key Takeaways
- Use quotation marks for exact words someone said
- Use quotation marks for titles of short works (songs, poems, articles)
- Commas and periods always go INSIDE quotation marks
- Question marks and exclamation points go inside if part of the quote, outside if not
- Start a new paragraph when the speaker changes
- Capitalize the first word inside quotation marks
- Quotation marks come in pairs - always close what you open!