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Guide to Quotation Marks

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Do you have a firm understanding of the rules of using quotation marks?

Knowing what to put inside quotation marks and how to punctuate different instances of quotation mark usage in the context of your sentence may be an element of writing that feels basic, like a throwback to elementary school lessons, but it’s a common area for making mistakes even with the most experienced writers.  

The Basics

Quotation marks are used to set apart dialogue, direct quotations, certain titles, and specific types of word use from the rest of prose. 

Titles that are set apart by quotation marks include (but aren’t limited to):

  • Magazine articles
  • Blog posts
  • Chapters
  • Songs
  • Episodes of TV shows
  • Essay titles
  • Lecture titles
  • Short stories

(Remember, longer works such as book titles, TV show titles, movies, etc. are italicized.)

Let’s look at examples of different types of quotation mark usage:

Dialogue:

“There’s a dragonfly on my arm,” she said. 

Direct quotation: 

The book includes many references to Wilde’s most well-known quotes, including the popular: “The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame.”

Title:

The first chapter of Harry Potter is “The Boy Who Lived.”

Quotation marks are also used to set apart words or phrases used in a way that deviates from standard usage like sarcasm, irony, or to insinuate skepticism:

His “friend” seems a little strange, don’t you think?

In US English, double quotation marks are used for all quoted material and single quotation marks are used for quotes within quotes.

“Have you heard the song ‘Mirrorball’ yet? It’s one of my favorites.”

When quoted material runs from one paragraph to another, do not use closing quotation marks at the end of the first paragraph, but add opening quotation marks at the start of the second paragraph:

“There was something familiar about him,” she said, “but I couldn’t put my finger on it. It was something in the way he walked, his mannerisms. I felt like I’d met him before, but that was impossible.

“And then I realized who he reminded me of. My grandfather, who moved his hands the same way when he spoke and had the same way of tilting his head.”

Punctuation

When it comes to using correct punctuation within and around quotations, mistakes are made often. However, the rules are simple if you think of them as belonging in one of two categories: Always and Contextual.

Always

Periods and commas always go inside the quotation marks. 

If a quote or dialogue comes at the end of a sentence, the period goes inside the quotation marks:

Lily glanced at the TV before saying, “Oh, shut it off. I can’t take any more bad news.” 

When closing quotation marks before a dialogue tag, place a comma inside the quotation marks: 

“There is a raccoon over there,” he said, pointing near the door. 

Place a comma after the dialogue tag if you’re continuing the sentence. Do not capitalize the first word when you open the quotation marks again (unless otherwise necessary):

“I’d like a margarita,” she said, “and some chips and salsa.”

Contextual

The rules for all other punctuation marks—question marks, exclamation points, colons, semicolons—are based on the context of the sentence. 

If the question belongs to the quotation, the question mark goes inside quotation marks:

“Are we going to the store now?” he asked.

If the question belongs to the overall sentence, not the quoted material, the question mark goes outside the quotation marks:

Where does it say “no food allowed inside”?

If both the overall sentence and the quotation are questions and the quoted material comes at the end of the sentence, the question mark goes inside the quotes:

When did he ask “do you want a bottle of water?”

If the exclamation point belongs to the quotation, it goes inside:

“I’m so excited!” she said.

If the exclamation point belongs to the overall sentence, it goes outside the quotation marks:

They just said “gates open in ten minutes”!

If a colon or semicolon belongs to the overall sentence, it goes outside the quotation marks: 

I hope she sings “All Too Well”; it’s my favorite song.

If the colon or semicolon belongs to the quoted material, it goes inside the quotation marks. If the semicolon comes at the end of the quoted material, leave it off. 

From Moby Dick:

“For an instant, the tranced boat’s crew stood still; then turned. ‘The ship? Great God, where is the ship?’ Soon they through dim, bewildering mediums saw her sidelong fading phantom, as in the gaseous Fata Morgana; only the uppermost masts out of water; while fixed by infatuation, or fidelity, or fate, to their once lofty perches, the pagan harpooneers still maintained their sinking lookouts on the sea.”

If I were only using a portion of this quote that ended on a semicolon, I would leave it out and, in this case, use a period:

“For an instant, the tranced boat’s crew stood still.”

Capitalization 

Always capitalize the first word in a complete quotation, even mid sentence, if the quoted material ends the sentence:

The girl said, “There’s no chance we won’t get caught.”

Do not capitalize the first word in quoted material that is a portion of a complete quote and continues the overall sentence:

Carolyn told us the plan would “go off without a hitch” and to “just roll with it.”

Commas

When introducing or interrupting dialogue, use a comma:

Billy said, “I saw a yellow butterfly.” 

“How,” Ivy whispered, “are we supposed to get there?”

The comma is optional before one-word quoted material:

Mom said “No.”

If the quoted material comes before the dialogue tag (he said, she whispered, etc), always end the quoted material with a comma, regardless of if it’s one word or not:

“No,” Mom said. 

If the quoted material functions as the subject or object in a sentence, it might not require commas:

Is “all was well” the last line?

Em Dash Interruptions

If interrupting dialogue with action, use em dashes:

“Could you pass me”—he waved a hand at the tool box—“the thing with the different attachments.”

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Em Dashes: What They Are & How to Use Them

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Whether it be a proclivity for writing long, winding sentences or a staunch belief in using the Oxford comma, there are little choices every writer makes within the details of their writing that are specific only to them. It’s part of each writer’s unique style and voice, the small details that make up the way we tell our stories.

There’s not much room for personal choices within punctuation, but one thing I’ve noticed as an editor (and even simply as a reader) is that em dashes are something of a personal preference. Some love them, some never touch them; some use them sparingly, some use them a lot. 

And hey, no judgement here. I like them, too—a lot.

Em dashes can be used in several contexts. They are a punctuation choice that contributes to style because of the emphasis they create and the often more informal tone they provide compared to the alternatives.

But before we can use them—or overuse them, as the case may be—it’s important to know exactly what em dashes are and how to properly use them within your writing. 

 

Punctuation Guide: Em Dashes

Em Dashes—What They Are

Em dashes are a punctuation mark that can be used in place of commas, colons, and parentheses to set information apart or show a break in the sentence. 

An em dash looks like a horizontal line (—). It is called an em dash because it is the same width as an M.

Em dashes are not the same thing as hyphens (-) or en dashes (–). 

Typing two hyphens will create an em dash on Macs and in Microsoft Word. On a Mac, you can also use the Option + Shift + Hyphen buttons to create an em dash. Word users can also hit Alt + 0151. 

The real power of em dashes is that they carry a certain stylistic impact that the other punctuation marks they replace lack. Em dashes tend to emphasize whatever they’re setting apart; however, they’re also generally seen as more informal. In sentences where em dashes could be used in place of another punctuation mark, there’s no general preference; one is not more correct than the other. Writers should think about how they want information to flow within a sentence, what they want to emphasize, and make the decision based on that.

Let’s take a look at where em dashes can be used.

Em Dashes in Place of Commas

You can use em dashes in place of commas that set off additional information. It’s important to remember that not every use of commas can be replaced with em dashes. Commas have their unique functions, and em dashes can only set off information. 

Comma: The boy, who was only six, shouldn’t have been walking alone in the mall.

Em dash: The boy—who was only six—shouldn’t have been walking alone in the mall.

Both work, but notice how the em dashes emphasize the phrase “who was only six” in a way the commas don’t. It draws reader attention to that information more; it’s a more impactful delivery.

Em dashes can be useful in sentences where a lot of commas are already being used or when the information that is being set off has commas within it. 

Comma: The girls’ favorite colors, red, blue, and purple, were splashed all over the walls.

Em dash: The girls’ favorite colors—red, blue, and purple—were splashed all over the walls.

Use of em dashes here enhances readability and decreases the chance of confusing the reader. 

Em Dashes in Place of Colons

Use em dashes in place of colons at the end of sentences when you want to emphasize the information or make the presentation of that information feel less formal.

Colon: Only one thing hadn’t been returned to Nadia after the police caught the robbers: the ring her grandmother gave her.

Em dash: Only one thing hadn’t been returned to Nadia after the police caught the robbers—the ring her grandmother gave her.

Em Dashes in Place of Parentheses

Use em dashes instead of parentheses in the middle of a sentence or at the end of a sentence to show additional information, commentary, or interruptions. 

Parentheses: There’s something about that painting (the one with the ship) that I just don’t like. 

Em dash: There’s something about that painting—the one with the ship—that I just don’t like. 

If you’re deciding between parentheses and em dashes, remember that em dashes always emphasize whatever they’re setting apart and parentheses more subtly deliver whatever information is within them. 

Also remember that only one em dash is necessary if what it sets off come at the end of the sentence, unlike parentheses. 

Parentheses: Don’t give her any mashed potatoes (she doesn’t like them). 

Em dash: Don’t give her any mashed potatoes—she doesn’t like them.

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Em dashes for Interruptions

Em dashes are very versatile. In addition to being able to replace commas, colons, and parentheses, em dashes can be used to show interruption in thought, dialogue, and sentence structure. 

When used to show an interruption that cuts the dialogue off, the em dashes go inside the quotations.

“You can’t just take that—”

“I can do what I want.”

“—when they’re not looking.” 

Notice that when the dialogue picks up again, there’s an em dash used at the beginning of the sentence and the first letter is lowercase.

When the interruption belongs to the overall sentence and not the dialogue, the em dashes come outside the quotations. 

“I’ve had a really long day so”—she grabbed her pajamas off her bed—“I think I’ll just stay in tonight.”

Em Dashes For Missing Words:

Em dashes can be used to show missing words.

“Mr. J——, you’re late on your electric bill.” 

If a whole word is missing, use two or three em dashes to show that. 

“She goes to ——— Elementary School.” 

Remain consistent with your choice of two or three throughout your document. Remember to use normal surrounding punctation, too. 

Em Dash Spacing

Most style guides recommend using em dashes with no space on either side of them.

Do you like that bow—the red one—for our wreath?

AP Style uses one space on either side of em dashes. You’ll see this in most newspapers and magazines.

Do you like that bow — the red one — for our wreath?

In UK English

You’ll recall I pointed out that em dashes are not the same as hyphens (-) or en dashes (–). I do want to note that in UK English, it’s standard to use en dashes in place of em dashes with spaces on either side of the dashes. Oxford Style prefers em dashes with no space (like Chicago Manual of Style), but it’s not a commonly followed rule. UK English does, however, use em dashes for breaks in dialogue.

The dog – a white poodle – was covered in mud from the walk.

Em dashes are useful little things. Whether you like to sprinkle them throughout your writing or prefer to minimize your use, it’s important to understand their function and how you can best make use of them within your own writing. Remember, em dashes are a fantastic way to emphasize information and add a little drama to your delivery. It’s impactful and a little less formal, often more conversational.

Finding a great editor is important for ensuring the quality of your work before publishing. Want to make sure you’re not using em dashes or other punctuation wrong?

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