Do you put the period inside or outside a quote?
The standard rule in American punctuation is that periods go inside quotation marks, as do most commas, even if the punctuation is not part of the quote. In American writing, commas and periods almost always go inside quotation marks.
Why do we place period inside quotation marks?
Put the period inside the quotation marks. ( This is a rule without exception. The rule for periods is still “a rule without exception,” as it was in 1906—but this time the reminder is in italics, a bit of emphasis that echoes Hart’s own insistence in 1905 on the opposite principle.
Does quotation come before period?
There are three basic rules you need to remember when using quotation marks with other forms of punctuation. There are absolutely no exceptions to these three rules in American English. • Commas or periods always precede closing quotation marks of quoted material.
Do the quotes come after period?
The answer is yes. It basically depends on the audience you are writing for. If you are in the US, the period goes “inside the closed quote mark.” If you are outside of the US, the period goes “outside the closed quote mark”. In the US, the period (and the comma) ALWAYS come before the ending quotation mark. There are no exceptions.
Quotation Marks With Semicolons And Colons
With semicolons, colons, asterisks, and dashes, we get back to a simple rule. They go outside the closing quotation mark.
When To Use Punctuation Inside Quotation Marks
Before we get too complicated, it might help to briefly review what quotation marks are. We have an awesome guide to quotation marks if you need an in-detail refresher. Quotation marks are a pair of punctuation marks used to set off quotations, which are selections of text or speech said by someone besides the writer or speaker.
A Rule Without Exception: Chicago 1906
When the first edition of Chicagos competing guide went on sale to the publicin 1906, as Manual of Style the quotation marks were double, and the commas and periods went inside. So did semicolons, but not colons :
Quotation Marks With Commas And Periods
One of the most common question people ask me is whether periods and commas go inside or outside a closing quotation mark, and theres a reason everyone is confused.
Commas And Periods: Inside Or Outside Quotation Marks
Have you ever wondered where the periods and commas are placed when youre writing direct and indirect quotations?
Double Quotation Marks With Single Quotation Marks
Another British-American difference is how we use single quotation marks and double quotation marks. The British use single quotation marks far more often than Americans. In America, we use double quotation marks in nearly all cases, and we use single quotation marks if we need to place a quotation within another quotation:
Reference To Words As Such
When referring to a words form rather than its meaning, use quotation marks to draw the readers attention. Usually these words are preceded by terms such as means, , specified, as, referred to as, the word, the phrase, entitled and designated.
In The United States English
American publishers usually put a period before the concluding quotation mark. It is because it enhances the readability of the text. The practice has been around since the nineteenth century, at the very least.
In The British English
If you are writing in British English, you should place commas and periods (full stops) outside quotation marks. The only exceptions to this rule are instances in which the quoted information is likewise a complete sentence and where the punctuation is included as part of the quotation itself.
Periods With Quotations In Chicago Style
The Chicago Style Manual recommends putting periods before the concluding quotation mark, “such as this one,” instead of after “such as this one”. Even though it isn’t altogether logical and isn’t widely practised outside the US, this conventional approach has survived. Until 1905, people used to put a period before a closing quotation mark.
Periods With Quotations In MLA Style
According to the MLA Handbook, periods that follow quotations should be placed inside the concluding quotation marks.
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