When to Use Quotation Marks: Rules and Examples
Use quotation marks to show someone's exact words, to mark the titles of short works such as articles, songs and poems, and to draw attention to a word used in an unusual or ironic sense. Do not use them for indirect speech, for emphasis, or for titles of long works such as books and films, which are usually italicized. The trickiest part is punctuation, which differs between American and British conventions.
1. Direct speech and dialogue
Put quotation marks around the exact words someone said or wrote.
She said, "I'll be there by six."
"I'll be there by six," she said.
Do not use them for indirect (reported) speech, where you paraphrase what someone said.
She said that she would be there by six.
In dialogue, start a new paragraph each time the speaker changes. If one speaker continues over several paragraphs, many style guides put opening quotation marks at the start of each paragraph but closing marks only at the end of the final one.
2. Quoting sources
In academic and journalistic writing, quotation marks show that words come directly from a source.
According to the report, the change was "the largest in a decade."
Always pair a quotation with a citation in academic work. Quotation marks without a citation tell the reader the words are borrowed but not where from; a citation without quotation marks implies the wording is yours. Your style guide, whether MLA, APA or another, will specify how to format the citation. An MLA citation generator can help with the reference itself.
Long quotations
Most academic styles set long quotations as indented block quotes without quotation marks. The threshold varies by style. In MLA 9th edition, a quotation of more than four lines of prose is set as a block quote. In APA 7th edition, a quotation of 40 words or more is set as a block quote. Check the rules for your style.
Changing a quotation
If you need to alter a quotation to fit your sentence, use square brackets for added or changed words and an ellipsis (...) for omitted words.
The author argues that "[remote] teams ... need clearer goals."
Do not change meaning when you do this.
3. Titles of short works
In most American styles, including MLA and Chicago, quotation marks go around titles of shorter works or parts of larger works:
- Articles and essays: "The Case for Slower Cities"
- Short stories: "The Lottery"
- Poems (most): "The Road Not Taken"
- Songs: "Bohemian Rhapsody"
- Episodes of TV shows or podcasts
- Chapters of books
- Web pages and blog posts
Longer, standalone works are italicized instead: books, films, albums, newspapers, magazines, journals, TV series and websites.
I read "The Lottery" in The Lottery and Other Stories.
APA style handles titles differently in reference lists. In APA 7th edition, titles of articles and chapters in the reference list have no quotation marks and use sentence case, while in your running text, APA uses title case with quotation marks for shorter works and italics for longer ones. Follow your style guide closely here.
4. Words used in a special sense
Scare quotes
Quotation marks can signal that you are using a word ironically, skeptically or not in its usual sense.
The "upgrade" made the app slower.
Use them sparingly. Overused scare quotes make writing sound sarcastic or unsure.
Words as words
When you refer to a word itself, many styles allow either quotation marks or italics. Be consistent.
The word "literally" is often used figuratively.
The word literally is often used figuratively.
Definitions and translations
Some styles put the meaning of a word in quotation marks.
The Spanish word sobremesa means "time spent talking at the table after a meal."
5. When not to use quotation marks
- For emphasis. Writing We are "open" on Sundays suggests you are not really open. Use bold or italics, or rephrase.
- Around common sayings or clichés that do not need special attention.
- For indirect speech.
- Around block quotations in academic styles that indent them.
- Around titles of long works in most styles; use italics.
Punctuation with quotation marks
This is where most errors happen, and where US and UK practice split.
Periods and commas
American style: Periods and commas go inside the closing quotation mark, always.
She called it "brilliant." He said, "Fine," and left.
British style: Periods and commas go inside only if they belong to the quoted material. Otherwise they go outside. This is often called logical punctuation.
She called it "brilliant". He said, "Fine," and left.
Question marks and exclamation points
In both styles, these go inside if they belong to the quotation, outside if they belong to the whole sentence.
He asked, "Are you coming?"
Did she really say "no rush"?
Colons and semicolons
In both styles, these go outside the quotation marks.
He called it "a minor delay"; it lasted three weeks.
Single vs double quotation marks
American English uses double quotation marks for most purposes and single marks for a quote within a quote.
She said, "My teacher told me 'never give up' when I was nine."
British English often reverses this, using single quotation marks first and double for a quote within a quote, though many British publications use double marks. Choose one convention and use it consistently.
She said, 'My teacher told me "never give up" when I was nine.'
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Correction |
|---|---|
| He said "that he was tired." | He said that he was tired. |
| Try our "delicious" soup! | Try our delicious soup! |
| I loved the book "Beloved." | I loved the book Beloved. |
| She asked, "Can I come"? | She asked, "Can I come?" |
| "Hello", she said. (US) | "Hello," she said. |
A grammar checker can catch many punctuation errors around quotation marks, though it may not know which regional or style-guide convention you are following. For English-specific checks, the English grammar check is a quick option. Always make the final call based on your style guide.
Quick reference
- Exact words someone said or wrote: use quotation marks.
- Paraphrase or reported speech: no quotation marks.
- Short work title (article, song, poem, chapter): quotation marks in most styles.
- Long work title (book, film, journal): italics.
- Ironic or special use: quotation marks, sparingly.
- Emphasis: never quotation marks.
- Long academic quotations: block quote, no marks.
FAQ
Do periods go inside or outside quotation marks?
In American English, periods and commas always go inside. In British English, they go inside only when they are part of the quoted material.
Should book titles be in quotation marks?
No, in most styles book titles are italicized. Quotation marks are used for shorter works such as articles, chapters, short stories and songs.
Can I use quotation marks for emphasis?
No. Quotation marks used for emphasis often read as sarcasm or doubt. Use italics or bold, or rewrite the sentence.
When do I use single quotation marks?
In American English, use them for a quotation inside another quotation. In British English, single marks are often the default, with double marks for quotes within quotes.