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Quotation Marks for Sarcasm

Using quotation marks for sarcasm.

Examples of Quotation Marks for Sarcasm

Examples of Quotation Marks Meaning "Not Literally"

Just say it once.

Don't Use Quotation Marks for Emphasis

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11 Ways To Indicate Sarcasm In Writing

Sarcasm is easy to portray when you’re speaking to someone. It’s all based on the tone you use. However, it’s hard to get the same tone across in writing, and sarcasm can be missed. This article will look at the best ways to indicate sarcasm in writing.

How Can I Indicate Sarcasm In Writing?

The preferred versions are italics or quotes. You can use italicization when you want to convey sarcasm quickly in writing. You might also prefer to put the sarcastic word or phrase in quote marks to highlight that you are not being sincere about it.

Quotation marks are another great formatting tool we can use in our writing. It shows that we are being sarcastic without being too obvious about it. It helps to show that we want certain words stressed, which adds to our sarcastic tone.

Hyperbole means that we are overstating a specific point. The more obvious we can be with whatever we’re overstating, the more obvious our sarcasm is. We often do this in writing when we want to be slightly offensive toward certain people.

“Totally” works well when we want to convey sarcasm in our writing. It’s an informal word, which we can use for all forms of writing (including formal ones). It works well because it looks out of place in some sentences, which helps to draw attention to them.

“Definitely”

“Definitely” is a simple word we can use to convey sarcasm. It works well in writing because it’s informal and looks out of place in many cases. It’s especially effective formally because it doesn’t belong there, which helps to show our sarcastic emotions.

Check out these examples if you want more information about it:

Arguing For The Opposite Point

Arguing for the opposite point is a great way to share sarcasm while writing to persuade. Usually, when persuading someone in our writing, we argue for one point and try to explain why it’s the best option for everyone.

If we argue the opposite point in a specific way, it can show that we really disagree with whatever that point offers. This is a great way for us to convey sarcasm where it counts.

Overexaggerating

Useful words that help us to overexaggerate include repeated words like “really” or “definitely.” It helps to include more informal language like this to show that you really mean the opposite.

“That Was Sarcasm If You Didn’t Catch It.”

“that was sarcasm, by the way.”.

“That was sarcasm, by the way” is another great way to show sarcasm in writing. Since we often miss out on the tone of sarcasm when reading and writing, it sometimes helps to be obvious about your intention. That way, no one can question the outcome.

Asking Questions That You Already Know The Answer To

Often, people use rhetorical questions to convey sarcasm. It’s a great way to show your readers that you know what you’re talking about, and you don’t need anyone else to highlight it.

Making It Very Obvious In Your Writing Tone

Decoding Sarcasm: The Role of Quotation Marks in Conveying Irony

In the realm of written communication, conveying tone and intent can often be a tightrope walk, especially when it comes to sarcasm. This is where punctuation, particularly quotation marks, steps in as an unlikely hero. Often dubbed as "scare quotes," quotation marks have evolved to signal more than just speech or citations; they now play a pivotal role in indicating sarcasm or irony. Let's dive into how quotation marks have taken on this new role and what it means for writers and readers alike.

The Evolution of Quotation Marks in Signaling Sarcasm

Originally intended to denote spoken words or highlight titles and special terms, quotation marks have found a new purpose in the digital age. They have become a tool for writers to convey sarcasm, a tone notoriously difficult to express in writing.

How Quotation Marks Convey Sarcasm

When used to indicate sarcasm, quotation marks are placed around a word or phrase to suggest the opposite of their literal meaning. This technique relies on the context and the shared understanding between the writer and the reader that the marked words are not to be taken at face value.

Example in Action

• Literal: He is a very "reliable" person. (Implying the person is anything but reliable)

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The Power and Pitfalls of Using Quotation Marks for Sarcasm

Using quotation marks for sarcasm can be a powerful tool, but it comes with its challenges. It's a fine line between clever irony and causing confusion or misinterpretation.

The Effectiveness of Quotation Marks in Sarcasm

• Clarity in Tone : In written text, where tone of voice and facial expressions are absent, quotation marks can provide the necessary context for sarcasm.
• Humor and Wit : They can add a layer of humor or wit to writing, making it more engaging and lively.

Risks and Considerations

• Risk of Misinterpretation : Without the right context, the intended sarcasm might be taken literally.
• Overuse : Excessive use of quotation marks for sarcasm can make writing seem insincere or condescending.

Best Practices for Using Quotation Marks in Sarcasm

To effectively use quotation marks for sarcasm without falling into the pitfalls, consider these tips:

• Context is Key : Ensure your audience is likely to understand the sarcasm.
• Use Sparingly : Like any stylistic device, the impact of sarcasm diminishes with overuse.
• Know Your Audience : Tailor your use of sarcasm to the audience’s preferences and sensitivities.

Quotation marks have transcended their traditional roles, becoming a versatile tool in a writer's arsenal, especially for conveying sarcasm. While they offer a unique way to express irony in writing, it's important to use them judiciously and with a clear understanding of your audience. Mastering their use can add an edge of sophistication and humor to your writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can quotation marks always be used to indicate sarcasm.

While often effective, they should be used contextually and where the sarcasm is clear to avoid misinterpretation.

How do I differentiate between regular and sarcastic quotation marks?

The difference lies in the context of the sentence and the overall tone of the piece.

Are sarcastic quotation marks acceptable in formal writing?

Generally, they are more suited to informal writing. In formal contexts, their use should be carefully considered.

Can misusing sarcastic quotation marks change the meaning of a sentence?

Yes, incorrect or unclear use can lead to misunderstandings about the writer’s true intent.

Is it possible to convey sarcasm in writing without quotation marks?

Yes, sarcasm can also be conveyed through context, word choice, and other punctuation marks like exclamation points.

In need of content that perfectly balances wit and clarity? Our expert content writing agency specializes in creating SEO-optimized, engaging content that resonates with your audience. From mastering the nuances of punctuation to crafting compelling narratives, we offer unlimited revisions to ensure your content is not just effective but also impactful. Reach out to us for writing that truly stands out.

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How to express sarcasm in non-dialogue text?

You know how sometimes we say something sarcastically, and do the double-finger twitch that's supposed to symbolize quotation marks? How do you write that in non-dialogue text (narration)? Not describing that a character is talking like that and doing those things with his fingers, but as part of the non-dialog text.

He gave him a "playful" look.

(Would this be correct?)

P.S. Please don't tell me to describe what the character's eyes looked like (showing not telling). I know that already. This is just an example. I'm asking what I (the writer/narrator) could do to express sarcasm in the text.

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• 1 I've edited your question to make it clearer what you're asking. I was all set to answer with how to show sketch-quotes in dialogue, when I reread your question. –  Thomas Reinstate Monica Myron Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 16:34
• 1 I'm struggling with what it is you are trying to convey, could you clarify? Perhaps it needs more context about what might be happening with the characters. Who is being sarcastic? Is it the person giving the "playful" look or is it the narrator? What does a sarcastic playful look convey? –  Spagirl Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 17:26
• 1 @Spagirl It's not really important to the question. 'Playful' is just an example. The OP wants to know how she, the author, can be sarcastic within narration. If you're finding the question confusing, remove all ideas of characters from the equation. They aren't part of the question. It should make sense then. –  Thomas Reinstate Monica Myron Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 18:35
• 1 @ThomasMyron I understand that ‘playful’ is an example, but it has to have meaning to work as one. Characters cannot be excluded from the concept of sarcasm, it requires a person. –  Spagirl Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 19:22
• 1 @Spagirl, yes. And that person is ME, the narrator/writer. –  Klara Raškaj Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 19:22

4 Answers 4

This is one of those instances where figuring out how to show is simply too tedious and detracts too much. It is far easier and far better to simply tell.

The first thing to realize is that there is no 'right' way to do this (unless it's in a style manual you are following). You're idea of simply putting quote marks there is a good one. And quite honestly, I can't think of any better way to do it.

He gave him a 'playful' look.

The only thing I might do is use the single quotes rather than the double. Double quotes makes it look too much like dialogue for me.

This technique does everything you need it to, and that's ultimately all that matters. It conveys the point to the reader quickly, clearly, and in the fastest manner possible. Honestly, trying to think up a different way to do this would probably yield an unclear or slow method which would be worse.

Go with the quotes.

It should be noted that this is my opinion, and not backed by any formal style guide that I know of.

• In US English we always use double quotes. Single quotes are used to nest quotes inside of double quotes. Using single quotes just makes your sentence look like it was written in British English. –  Ken Mohnkern Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 21:34
• Hmm. I didn't know that about US English. I've always used single quotes outside of dialogue. In the end it all comes down to what works best for the story. –  Thomas Reinstate Monica Myron Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 22:04

Call them air quotes. Enclose in single quotes, you can emphasize it with further characterization. "She said she was 'devastated'," Julie said, with air quotes. "Right, right? Because I thought, then why were you laughing?"

Don't use "air quotes", use actual quotes, and call the gesture air quotes.

• Thank you, but as I've explained in the question, I wanted to know how to use air quotes outside of the dialog. As if I (the writer/narrator) was using air quotes. –  Klara Raškaj Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 16:15
• @KlaraRaškaj The same way, except the narrator's body movements are never described (unless you are using a first person POV). Just use single quotation marks. The gesture is derived from actual literature that does that, uses single quotation marks around a word to indicate it should be taken sarcastically or not literally. That said, in normal 3rd person narrative, the narrator HAS no emotions, they report and describe the feelings of others, not themselves. –  Amadeus Commented Dec 14, 2017 at 16:57

Don't use quotation marks.

They just look as if you don't know what word to use. It makes you (the author, not the narrator) look lost for words. That's not your intent.

One option is to change the sarcastic part to something that makes it clear that the intention is sarcastic:

He gave him an oh-so-playful look.

A neutral narrator wouldn't say it like that, so the sarcastic tone comes through clearly.

Another option is actually to use air quotes in the same way people use them when you cannot see them: say them out loud.

He gave him a quote-unquote playful look.

Both options are perfectly fine, it's really more a question of the character of your narrator which one they would use. In my mind, the second option sounds a bit more "gossipy", while the first one sounds more sardonical and mocking.

I realize that the question is quite old, but I do think the accepted answer has unintended connotations and is therefore a bit problematic.

• Your options seem okay, but I wanted to imply the sarcasm in the narrator's tone of voice, not with the words he uses. –  Klara Raškaj Commented Apr 11, 2019 at 17:34

Simile / Metaphor

To express that the narrator is being sarcastic as opposed to a character, I might use a (sarcastic) simile or metaphor.

Doug winked playfully. Alex stared back with the cheerful levity of a rabid badger.

This gets across:

• Alex was upset
• The narrator is approaching the situation with tongue-in-cheek

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Quotation quandaries solved: how to use quotation marks like an expert

Okay, this is simple, right? Yes, but simple doesn’t always mean easy. Unless we’re talking about getting it wrong. Quotation marks, sometimes called inverted commas or speech marks, are one of the easiest punctuation marks to get wrong. The problem lies in the way they muscle around the punctuation marks that play the supporting role, especially those pesky commas, which can’t decide whether they want to be inside or outside.

If you want polished, professional prose, it’s important to get these things right. As with most matters of punctuation, a few simple rules will help clarify matters.

Single or double?

First, an important question: single or double quotes? Here at Grammar Factory we are passionately committed to the use of single quotation marks. We think they’re more elegant, and using singles means we don’t have to look for the shift key all the time. Singles are widely used in British English, while doubles remain the convention in American English. Neither is wrong, however, and it’s really just a question of taste. So use doubles if you like, but make sure you use them consistently.

Whether you decide to use doubles or singles, you’ll need to use your second preference when you place a quotation inside a quotation. In other words, if your default quote marks are single, you’ll need to use doubles to mark off the quotation.

‘Mum! Mum!’ called the excited grammar-nerd-in-training as she raced to greet her mother after school. ‘My teacher said my essay was “punctuated perfectly” and I got an A!’

Quoting others in your book

As their name suggests, the main function of quotation marks is to quote someone else’s words. A quotation is when you use someone’s exact words, so you shouldn’t use quotation marks if you’re just  paraphrasing or describing what someone said.

Quoting somebody is straightforward if the quote stands alone and isn’t attached in any way to a sentence you might have written – simply put all the words the speaker said and all the punctuation inside the quotation marks. This is what British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli said while correcting proofs of his last Parliamentary speech:

‘I will not go down to posterity talking bad grammar.’

If the quotation is part of a larger sentence, you need to introduce it with a punctuation mark; this is usually a comma, but a colon is suitable for more formal situations.

The character Eliza Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw’s  Pygmalion  famously said, ‘I don’t want to talk grammar, I want to talk like a lady.’

The dictionary defines ‘entrepreneur’ thus: ‘someone who organises and manages any enterprise, especially one involving considerable risk.’

If you take some words out of a quotation, you need to employ an ellipsis (three dots … no more), to indicate that one or more words have been omitted. When doing this, you must take care not to change the author’s meaning. Here’s a before and after example from Mark Cuban, Chairman of AXS TV.

‘It doesn’t matter how many times you fail. It doesn’t matter how many times you almost get it right. No one is going to know or care about your failures, and neither should you. All you have to do is learn from them and those around you because all that matters in business is that you get it right once. Then everyone can tell you how lucky you are.’

You can trim Mark’s words like this:

‘It doesn’t matter how many times you fail … All you have to do is learn from them [your failures]and those around you because all that matters in business is that you get it right once.’

If you want to add your own words in the middle of the quotation, put them in square brackets. Sometimes this is necessary to make sense of a quotation that is out of context, like the added ‘your failures’ in the previous example.

If you’ve got quite a long quotation you should set it out in an indented paragraph on its own, without any quotation marks. This is called a ‘block quotation’. Anything more than a couple of lines long should be set out this way.  Here’s an example from Steve Jobs.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

Innies or outies?

No, I’m not talking about belly buttons. I refer to the vexed question of whether full stops and other punctuation marks go inside or outside the quotation marks. Well, it depends.

Most authorities agree that if the full stop, comma, question mark or exclamation mark is part of the quotation, then it should go inside the closing quotation mark. There should be no problem with quotations that stand alone but, when they’re part of a bigger sentence, you need to take care.

In the following example, Timothy is asking the question, so the question mark goes inside the closing quote mark.

‘For all of the most important things, the timing always sucks. Waiting for a good time to quit your job?’ asks author Timothy Ferriss in  The 4-hour Work Week.

This situation is different, however, if the quotation is interrupted at a spot where there are no punctuation marks. Here’s a quote from Michael Jordan, first set out fully, and then with an interruption. In the second one, note that the commas are outside the quote marks because they’re not part of what Michael said.

‘I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that’s why I succeed.’

 ‘I’ve failed over and over again in my life’, says sports superstar Michael Jordan, ‘and that’s why I succeed.’

To sum up, if the punctuation mark is a part of the quotation, it goes inside the quotation marks. If it is something you’ve added, it goes outside the quotation marks. The key to preventing quotation marks from getting locked in a pitched battle for hotly contested sentence real estate is to declare a truce, look calmly at the situation, and use logic to determine who owns each comma, stop and mark.

An old-fashioned use of quotation marks is around the titles of books and other major works. This ceased to be the convention many years ago, and has a lot to do with changing technology. Using quotation marks made sense when manual typewriters were all we had to work with. Then, when electric typewriters came in, people started underlining titles. When word processors were invented, italics became the convention.

However, quotation marks are still used for short works: poems, essays, songs, and magazine and journal articles.

So it’s correct to refer to the article ‘Marketing Myopia’, but when you refer to the venerable publication in which it appears, you should write  The Harvard Business Review .

Irony, oddities and emphasis

Quotation marks are often used to indicate sarcasm or irony.

‘Oh, so you think your singles look “elegant”, do you?’

Think carefully before using quotation marks like this. Less is more when it comes to irony or sarcasm. The more you do this, the less power the practice has, and you can also sound just plain nasty.

Quotation marks can also be used to introduce an unusual, unfamiliar, or recently coined term, but should be dropped for subsequent references.

Quotation marks that indicate irony or sarcasm are often referred to as ‘scare quotes’. You should take care, however, to use scare quotes sparingly.

You may be tempted to use quotation marks around colloquial and slang terms. This practice is recommended in a formal document, but if you’re writing in a conversational, informal style, it’s not necessary.

I asked my editor about the ‘low-down’ on quotation marks.

A final use for quotation marks is to distinguish or emphasise a particular word, although the same effect can also be achieved using italics.

The word ‘nerd’ has recently become a term of endearment, especially when it’s attached to the word ‘grammar’.

I you’re still confused, the best advice I can give is to stick to your guns. Quotation marks make editors sweat more blood and tears than any other punctuation mark, but as long as you employ logic and consistency, you can’t be accused of being wrong, only of having a different opinion.

This concludes the fifth and final blog in our ‘ Punctuation 101 ’ series, and I hope this information and the tips in the earlier grammar posts have been helpful. However, if you find yourself staring at a blinking cursor, still terrorised by the dots and squiggles that exert so much power over your prose, don’t panic – just hire an editor!

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Punctuation Tips: Using Quotation Marks

3-minute read

• 17th November 2016

Quotation marks play a vital role in many types of writing. This is especially true of academic work , where you’ll often need to quote a source to provide evidence for your arguments.

However, the rules for how quotation marks should be used in formal writing can be complicated. As such, we’ve prepared this quick guide to using these punctuation marks .

Direct Quotation and Dialogue

When quoting a source in a paper, the quoted text should be enclosed within double quotation marks (“ ”):

According to Sartre (1969, p.30), “Every conscious existence exists as consciousness of existing.”

Note that a citation is given here. In an academic context, this is crucial when quoting a source. In other forms of writing, such as fiction, quotation marks can indicate speech:

“What a lovely day,” muttered Sally, her voice dripping sarcasm.

While double quotation marks are the norm in American English, keep in mind that single quotation marks (‘ ’) are more common in British English. If you’re not sure which kind to use, check your school/publisher’s style guide .

Quotations within Quotations

The only time single quotation marks (also known as inverted commas ) are conventionally used in American English is when quoting text that already contains quotation marks:

Sartre (1969, p.504) states that “assertions such as ‘I am ugly,’ ‘I am stupid,’ etc.” are anticipatory by nature.

Here, “I am ugly” and “I am stupid” are placed within single quotation marks because they were within quotation marks in the original source. This helps ensure clarity.

Capitalization and Punctuation

You might have noticed that the quotes above use different styles of capitalization and punctuation. This depends on what you’re quoting and how it’s framed by the sentence.

The rule here is generally to capitalize the first word when quoting a complete sentence, but not when quoting part of a larger sentence:

Full sentence: He told me, “You’re not listening.” Then he left.

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Partial quotation: He said I was “not listening,” and then he left.

The other difference you can see in these examples regards using a comma to introduce a quotation. If a quotation follows naturally from the rest of the sentence, no comma is required:

No comma: He said that “The sky is blue.”

However, if there would usually be a pause in the sentence, a comma might be required. This is common when a quotation follows a phrase like “he said” or “she said”:

Comma required: He said, “The sky is blue.”

More generally, American English places commas and periods inside quotation marks even if they weren’t part of the original quotation. For other punctuation marks, such as question marks, it depends on whether they were part of the original text:

Part of quoted text: She asked, “What color is the sky?”

Not part of quoted text: Did you just say that “the sky is blue”?

Scare Quotes

Finally, sometimes quotation marks are used to indicate use of a non-standard term or to suggest skepticism or irony when we don’t agree with how a term has been used:

He’s not a gangster; if you value your health, he’s a “businessman.”

However, it’s best to use scare quotes sparingly in academic writing, as they’re often misused .

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• When to Use Quotation Marks (“”) | Rules & Examples

When to Use Quotation Marks ("") | Rules & Examples

Published on May 21, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on November 29, 2022 by Jack Caulfield.

Quotation marks (also known as quotes or inverted commas) are used to indicate direct speech and quotations.

In academic writing, you need to use quotation marks when you quote a source . This includes quotes from published works and primary data such as interviews . The exception is when you use a block quote, which should be set off and indented without quotation marks.

Whenever you quote someone else’s words, use a signal phrase to introduce it and integrate the source into your own text. Don’t rely on quotations to make your point for you.

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Table of contents

Single vs. double quotation marks, quotes within quotes, punctuation following quotations, quotation marks for source titles, indirect quotation, scare quotes, frequently asked questions about quotation marks.

There are two types of quotation marks: ‘single’ and “double.” Which one to choose generally depends on whether you are using US or UK English . The US convention is to use double quotation marks, while the UK convention is usually to use single quotation marks.

Double quotation marks can also be acceptable in UK English, provided you are consistent throughout the text. APA Style requires double quotations.

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When your quotations are nested (i.e., a quote appears inside another quote), you should use the opposite style of quotation marks for the nested quotation.

US and UK English also differ on where to place punctuation within quotation marks.

• In US English,  commas and periods that follow a quote are placed within the quotation marks.
• In UK English, all punctuation marks are placed outside the quotation marks, except when they are part of the original quotation.

In all variants of English, a question mark appears inside the quotation marks when the person quoted was asking a question, but outside when it’s you asking the question.

• Smith asks, “How long can this situation continue?”
• How many participants reported their satisfaction as “high”?

Note that when you include a parenthetical citation after a quote, the punctuation mark always comes after the citation (except with block quotes ).

• Solis described the situation as “precarious” (2022, p. 16).

Some source titles (e.g., the title of a journal article) should be presented in quotation marks in your text. Others are italicized instead (or occasionally written in plain text).

The rules for how to format different source titles are largely the same across citation styles, though some details differ. The key principles apply in all the main styles:

• Use italics for sources that stand alone
• Use quotation marks for sources that are part of another source

Some examples are shown below, with the proper formatting:

• The Routledge Companion to Critical Theory [book]
• “Poststructuralism” [book chapter]
• Philosophy, Psychiatry & Psychology [journal]
• “What Is Personality Disorder?” [journal article]
• Friends [TV series]
• “The One Where Rachel Quits” [TV episode]

Indirect quotation means reporting what someone said without using exactly the same words they did.

It’s a lot like paraphrasing , except that you’re only changing the words you need to in order to fit the statement into your new sentence grammatically. For example, changing the pronouns or the verb tense .

Indirect quotation is more common in everyday speech, but it can occur in academic writing too. When it does, keep in mind that you should only use quotation marks around words taken directly from the original speaker or author.

• One participant stated that “he found the exercises frustrating.”
• One participant stated that he found the exercises frustrating.
• One participant described the exercises as “frustrating.”

“Scare quotes” are quotation marks used around words that are not a direct quotation from a specific source. They are used to signal that a term is being used in an unusual or ironic way, that it is borrowed from someone else, or that the writer is skeptical about the term.

• Many politicians have blamed recent electoral trends on the rise of “fake news.”

While scare quotes have their uses in academic writing (e.g., when referring to controversial terms), they should only be used with good reason. Inappropriate use of scare quotes creates ambiguity.

• The institution organized a fundraiser in support of “underprivileged children.”
• Scientists argue that “global warming” is accelerating due to greenhouse gas emissions.
• The “Brexit” negotiations are still ongoing.

In these examples, the words within scare quotes are widely accepted terms with clear meanings that can’t be attributed to a specific person or source. Using quotation marks implies skepticism about the concepts in question.

The use of single and double quotation marks when quoting differs between US and UK English . In US English, you must use double quotation marks. Single quotation marks are used for quotes within quotes.

In UK English, it’s most common to use single quotation marks, with double quotation marks for quotes within quotes, although the other way around is acceptable too.

A quote is an exact copy of someone else’s words, usually enclosed in quotation marks and credited to the original author or speaker.

If you’re quoting from a text that paraphrases or summarizes other sources and cites them in parentheses , APA and Chicago both recommend retaining the citations as part of the quote. However, MLA recommends omitting citations within a quote:

• APA: Smith states that “the literature on this topic (Jones, 2015; Sill, 2019; Paulson, 2020) shows no clear consensus” (Smith, 2019, p. 4).
• MLA: Smith states that “the literature on this topic shows no clear consensus” (Smith, 2019, p. 4).

Footnote or endnote numbers that appear within quoted text should be omitted in all styles.

If you want to cite an indirect source (one you’ve only seen quoted in another source), either locate the original source or use the phrase “as cited in” in your citation.

Quotes within quotes are punctuated differently to distinguish them from the surrounding quote .

• If you use double quotation marks for quotes, use single quotation marks for quotes within quotes.
• If you use single quotation marks for quotes (e.g., in UK English ), use double quotation marks for quotes within quotes.

Make sure to close both sets of quotes!

Indirect quotation means reporting what someone said (or wrote) but not using their exact words. It’s similar to paraphrasing , but it only involves changing enough words to fit the statement into your sentence grammatically (e.g., changing the tense or the pronouns ).

Since some of the words have changed, indirect quotations are not enclosed in quotation marks .

Sources in this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.

McCombes, S. (2022, November 29). When to Use Quotation Marks ("") | Rules & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 14, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/language-rules/quotation-marks/

Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015).  Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage  (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Garner, B. A. (2016).  Garner’s modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

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When Do You Use “Quotation Marks”?

by Liz Bureman | 95 comments

A few years ago, I rented a car. Normally this wouldn't be a memorable event. But an appalling misuse of grammar burned it into my mind, and years later, I haven't forgotten.

You see, when I went to the airport to return the rental, I saw this wonderfully instructive sign.

And this brings me to today's grammar lesson: how and when to use quotation marks.

The Correct Ways to Use Quotation Marks

Quotation marks have gained new responsibilities in writing in the past fifty years. Previously, they were pretty exclusively used to mark dialogue. But with the introduction of sarcasm and facetiousness into our lives, they have found a whole new purpose.

Let's take a look at today's uses of quotation marks.

1. Quotation marks designate dialogue.

This is probably the first thing you learned about quotation marks in grade school. When little Johnny and Sally had their first conversation about watching Spot run, their conversation was marked by quotation marks.

“See Spot run, Johnny,” said Sally. “Spot runs fast!” said Johnny. “Run, Spot, run!” said Sally.

Nothing fancy about that. When someone starts talking, open the quotation marks. When they stop, close the quotation marks. Make sure your ending punctuation is inside the quotes.

2. Quotation marks designate titles of poems, articles or shorter works.

Robert Frost's “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening” is one of my earliest memories of exposure to poetry. “ How to Use Either, Neither, Or, and Nor Correctly ” is the most popular post on The Write Practice.

Any time you are making reference to a scholastic article, newspaper article, or anything similar, use quotation marks around the title of the article/poem/blog post/song/TV episode/etc.

3. Quotation marks reveal the use of sarcasm, irony, euphemisms, or slang.

It's become a thing in American culture to use air quotes. I realize we have some overseas readers, so for all those unfamiliar, air quotes are when you take the first two fingers of your hand and curl them like bunny ears.

The dude in this Wikipedia article has it down.

Air quotes designate that what you're saying should not be taken at face value. You are being sarcastic or lying outright. In your writing, they're used in the same way. For example:

Alice sat on a park bench and watched the “runners” turn their heads towards her, trying to make eye contact.

The quotation marks in this example indicate that the runners aren't running so much as checking her out, and are being less than subtle about it.

Using Quotation Marks Correctly Is “Key”

Going back to the example of the sign from the airport above, the quotes around “keys” would indicate that the rental facility doesn't mean for you to leave your actual keys in the car. But since they obviously do want you to leave your keys, the quotes here are completely inaccurate.

Grammarphiles everywhere are outraged.

Do you ever run into trouble using quotation marks?   Let me know in the comments !

Need more grammar help?  My favorite tool that helps find grammar problems and even generates reports to help improve my writing is ProWritingAid . Works with Word, Scrivener, Google Docs, and web browsers. Also, be sure to use my coupon code to get 20 percent off:  WritePractice20

Every citizen has the right to live in a grammatically correct world.

For fifteen minutes , write a letter of protest chastising the car rental agency. Make sure you use as many quotes (correctly) as you can. Be sarcastic. Cite made-up articles as “sources” (putting the titles in quotes, of course). Finally, use some dialogue just to show this “agency” the right way to use quotes.

Post your letter of protest in the practice box below. Then give feedback to a few other protest letters from fellow writers.

Liz Bureman

Liz Bureman has a more-than-healthy interest in proper grammatical structure, accurate spelling, and the underappreciated semicolon. When she's not diagramming sentences and reading blogs about how terribly written the Twilight series is, she edits for the Write Practice, causes trouble in Denver, and plays guitar very slowly and poorly. You can follow her on Twitter (@epbure), where she tweets more about music of the mid-90s than writing.

95 Comments

Before I begin my letter to the car company, I would like to point out to our “young” blogger, Liz, that there was no Johnny in my first grade primer, “Fun with Dick and Jane.” And, yes, I realize that I have indeed misused quotation marks in probably both of these examples because Liz is indeed young, so no sarcasm needed and my first grade primer was a book, not a poem or article. But I could classify it as what Liz called one of the “shorter works of writing.”

I do have another question regarding quotation marks. Where is the appropriate place to include the question mark in this example?

Have you read the recent blog post “When to Use ‘Quotation Marks'” (?)

A good question, tdub. When you’re using a question mark or exclamation point, and the punctuation in question doesn’t belong to the internally quoted segment, then it is placed outside the quotation. In the case of your example, the properly punctuated phrase would be:

Have you read the recent blog post “When to Use ‘Quotation Marks'”?

Not the prettiest thing in the world, but generally that’s how you’d structure the punctuation.

I had a similar question about where to put the quotation marks when a comma or period is used, especially if the QMs are around words quoted from another text. I do this a lot with regulations: regulation ABC says, “…what were you thinking,” but XYZ says, “…not a chance in hell will you….” Should the comma and final period be in the QMs or outside of them?

Commas and periods…okay. I’m not sure if this fully answers your question, Sharry, but I’ll give it a go. Mind you, this is the rule as far as American English goes, so I don’t know if that affects you at all.

General rule of thumb is that commas and periods go inside quotation marks. For example:

The Declaration of Independence guarantees citizens the right to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

In the transcript of the Declaration, that phrase ends with a period, and it lives inside the quotation marks. However, even if the phrase didn’t, you would still end with the final punctuation inside the quotes. Example:

Those rights that Jefferson described are ones that he considers to be “self-evident.”

The only exception is if you’re only putting a letter or number inside the quotation marks. Then the period/comma goes outside. Example:

It’s hard thinking of words that start with “X”, but I’m convinced that they’re better than words that start with “Q”.

Hope that helps!

I just want them to adjust the sign to have it say: Leave “Keys” (wink, wink) In Car

What about when a character is thinking. I have read a couple of books where quotation marks were not used to show the words of a characters thoughts and then some that have used quotation marks. Which is correct?

“Not again!” she thought as she nearly tripped over the pile of laundry in the middle of Herr son’s bedroom.

Not again! she thought as she nearly tripped over the pile of laundry in the middle of here son’s bedroom.

Ugh! One must never be too quick to hit the send button! I apologize to one and all for the many grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes I made in that post. It is rather late. Can I blame it on being too tired?

Blame it on the gremlins in the site’s program. Or a keyboard with dyslexia.

I often write thoughts without quotes and without italics. I think it is a new way of writing.

“He stood in front of the door. She won’t let me in.” But sometimes people say, you got your tenses muddled. LOL.

I’ve wondered the same thing. I BELIEVE italics are appropriate here. A cursory search on Google seems to justify this.

I came across this ‘article’ while looking for information on using air quotes. I’d suggest that with different kinds of electronic remotes and locking devices being used for cars now, you might also need an unlocking device along with the key, or there might not actually be a traditional key at all. The use of “Keys” on the sign might have been quite intentional.

Good point Mike. It comes down to people who write public notices, or letters should be very careful to be clear.

Are the quotation marks necessary in the following sentence? Please click on “Jump to next page” link to continue navigating the article.

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Question… if you are writing fiction, and a character is reading a letter. Do you put quotations around the text in the letter? Example, … she picked up the note and read it, “My dearest Jane….” would you put quotes around “my dearest jane….” ? Or simply type it in italics to denote that it is apart from the rest of the narrative?

is she reading it aloud?

I think if you are quoting something, then you would put it in quotes or italics. For example, The letter read: ‘Dear Sir or Madam …’ In a world where double quotes are used for speech, I’d use single quotes for something not actually said. In a world where single quotes are used for direct speech (academic English), then I’d probably use double quotes for the letter.

But you could do: The letter read: Dear Sir or Madam, …

Indenting it, still using italics if you want.

There’s a lot of variation in punctuation. The rule is: Be clear and understandable.

Wrong: “In a world where single quotes are used for direct speech (academic English), then I’d probably use double quotes for the letter.”

There’s really not “that much variable” in punctuation. There are actual rules.

Do you use double quotes for a fictional character after he said? For example, he said, “I have to go to the store.” Is this correct?

Yes, when you quote someone, you use double quotes. When you’re quoting some who is quoting someone/thing else, you surround the main quote in double quotes, with the sub-quote in single quotes:

My mother said, “You know, your father always yelled ‘Go get ’em, tiger!’ whenever you went up to bat.”

yes it is correct

In primary school, we were taught that double quotation marks were actually called speech marks and only ever used when writing speech, and we called a single quotation mark an apostrophe to indicate a quote or shorten a word.

I was taught his about double quotation marks, too, and it sticks with me.

Change the paragraph, it makes it clear. Otherwise in book I saw it was simply typed in italic.

Do you add quotation marks in narrative poems?

I have an important question and I can’t seem to find it anywhere. If I’m writing a story in first person, but I’m reiterating a conversation between my main character and another character, do I have to start a new paragraph for each line of dialogue when one or the other speaks or is it one paragraph because my character is telling the conversation? I know to use quotation marks for each speaker but am not sure about the rule for paragraph indentation in this case. please if anyone knows would love to find out about this. Thanks.

I’m writing a story in the first person, my question isn’t so much about quotation marks as it is about paragraph indentation when my main character is reiterating a conversation between himself and another character. Because this is him telling about the conversation do I have to start a new line/paragraph for each new set of dialogue when one character speaks or is it one paragraph? Please get back to me on this as I haven’t found any answers about this so far.

Perhaps you need to post a short example, Cody, to make clear what you mean.

One question: if you’re trying to tell someone the meaning of a word, e.g. it means ____, do you have to put the meaning in quotation marks? I’ve been thinking that you don’t, but I’ve seen instances where they are inserted so I’d like to clarify once and for all – do you have to put double quotation marks in this case?

When I am writing if I tell (in the past) that somebody said something, must I use quotation marks.

Me as a concerned citizen that passed by car rentals agency would like to “thank” this “fine” establishment. Driving up the “good” car I rented, I saw the “safety” sign of leaving your keys in the car. I was momentarily confused. Did I have to leave the keys or do I have to take them with me?

As per “https://thewritepractice.com/when-you-use-quotation-marks/” by “professional” “grammarian” Liz Bureman, this practice is incorrect. The use of quotation marks implies sarcasm or dishonesty. One would think a “good” business such as this car rental agency would know that.

People would get confused. I saw people scratching their heads when they saw the sign. One couple, I assume, where in a debate as to what they were suppose to do. I sink in the back of my car to listen to this “conversation.”

“Come on Dany,” the man said. “It clearly says, “leave your “keys” in the car.”“

The woman, Dany, I assume rolled her eyes. “Look here, see. There’s this expert I read from the internet. She knows like, quotes imply they’re not telling the truth. So we should take them with us Jon.”

The man, Jon, groaned. “Oh, so this “expert” told you?” he said. “Fine, let’s take this stupid key with us, unlike common practice where you leave your keys in cars when your returning your cars an rental agencies. Fine.”

Dany sighed. “You don’t have to be a jerk about it. I mean, maybe they wrote the sign wrong.”

Jon relaxed. “This is America, everything’s wrong.”

Dany smiled. “You’re “right”.”

“What’s with the air-quotes?” Jon said.

“Nothing, nothing,” Dany said. “Just we take the keys with us, just to be safe.”

“Argh.” Jon booped his head on the steering wheel.

See, this “happy” couple would argue about something as trivial as this. I am rather confused myself. The woman was very “persuasive”. Her dimples really swayed the argument in her favor. I should go “visit” them and set the man Jon straight.

This is your “satisfied” customer giving you advice. Fix the damn sign. Tell us what you mean. Don’t imply. Just, use the same language as everyone else, okay?

Thank you for this.

At this point, I ‘understand’ what the main post means, even though I think the sign is a silly thing to write. It seems the car renters were being ‘clever’. What is wrong, isn’t that they are using ‘air quotes’, it is that they should have, for a public notice, said clearly what they meant. Such as, “Don’t leave your keys in the car.”

Thanks for clearing this up.

I think the sign writers were idiots, plainly and simply. An electronic key is still a key. No quotes required.

Yikes! I don’t want to meet the “Keys” person. This is one of the things I am so particular about. However, I run into a snag on places such as social media. The second point you made (how to use quotation marks when citing shorter works), is one of the many grammar rules that always sticks in my head. But I find myself forced to use them incorrectly (shudder) on Social media and other places that don’t have an option to italicize larger pieces (like book titles). Quotes is the only other option I have to set the title apart from the rest of the text.

The problems that grammar-freaks face 🙂 Great article.

Liz, quotation marks are such a fraught subject (especially w/r//t other punctuation & common online usage that can be damaging to a writer’s SWE bona fides) that this deserves morphing into a new post. Internet, for instance, seems to have “taught” people that single quotes are some kind of minor or lesser (or non-scare/sarcasm) version of double quotes. I edit pieces often where a ‘word’ that’s being defined is relegated to single quote land.

As for punctuation inside or outside quotes, that’s a stylebook issue. For periods & commas, some publications (NYTimes for instance) insist “always in.” While others (especially Anglophone ones, but also such Silicon Valley natives as Medium) insist “always out”. Question marks are even worse…some publications picking one of the two above blanket rules, others insisting on elaborate judgments about whether the quotation itself is a question or merely *part* of a question. Just about the only true uniformity to be found is that colons & semi-colons go outside the quotes… And none of this even considers the British norm of using single quotes first & double quotes internally. Oh well…I guess my point is that beginning writers are learning more (questionable) stuff from internet exchanges than they are from the instructors who are ‘supposed’ to be teaching them SWE. (You see what I did there…this is, after all, an online comment, even though it’s on the subject of grammar.)

In academic English, writers use single and double quotes in the opposite way to the way the Americans do, and how we did. For a while, I dallied with this using single quotes for direct speech, but decided to revert to the former practice, which the Americans still follow, of using double quotes.

I think the way of doing punctuation is not like spelling which is sometimes definite. Different writers punctuate differently, and no one can say which way is wrong.

For instance you can see examples like: He thought that he was late. ‘I’m late,’ (with or without, ‘he thought’) Or even He rushed down the street. I’m late! He speeded up. (with ‘he thought’ and quotes omitted completely — I prefer this 🙂 Sometimes writers use italics here.

I’m not so sure the sign is incorrect. This is probably a rental car return sign similar to the ones I see at airports most of the time. They want the rental car keys left in the vehicle so they can move the car from the drop off point to their rental car return processing point. The reason the word keys is in quotation marks could be that more and more cars today don’t have actual mechanical keys. A “key” historical meant a mechanical device to properly arrange mechanical lock tumblers in the proper order to either lock or unlock a locking device in the mechanical sense. Instead in recent years more and more cars have an electronic signaling devices that activates the car receivers which in turn activates the solenoids of the cars various locking devices. In the case of the sign the use of “Keys” is meant to describe all key like devices whether they are actually mechanical or electronic or other similar purposed devices. I believe that the sign employs and uses your rule #3 above correctly. The word “key” is being euphemistically.

That’s how I originally read the sign, meaning leave the electronic dingbat in the car. If their key were electronic, then people would know what the sign meant. And as you say, it would be correct.

A manual-turn key and an electronic key are both a type of key. No quotes required when explaining that someone is to return said key. Ever.

What are the rules regarding the use of quotation marks to designate internal thoughts or dialogue?

When writing internal thoughts and internal dialogue, you have a few options.

You can use quotation marks just as you would use them for regular dialogue: Sally opened the fridge and stared at its bare shelves. “What can I make for dinner?” she wondered.

You can omit the quotation marks and designate the thoughts/dialogue with italics instead: Sally opened the fridge and stared at its bare shelves. What can I make for dinner? she wondered.

Both of the above examples are considered direct speech, which means you’re giving us the exact words the person said (or in this case, thought). Your third option is to rewrite the passage as indirect discourse: Sally opened the fridge and stared at its bare shelves, wondering what she could make for dinner. (This option is generally my favorite, but it may not be the best choice for every circumstance.)

Ultimately, it comes down to a style choice: what do you prefer for the story you’re writing? Whichever you choose, be sure to keep it consistent throughout your piece. You can always sprinkle in some indirect discourse, but if you use quotation marks or italics to indicate direct thoughts in one place, be consistent everywhere else.

I try to always live in a Grammarically correct world. But, then I had kids and became a writer….

Dear anonymous car rental company,

I am writing to inform you of a fascinating conversation I overheard the other day.

“Hey, did you know that most people don’t know how to use quotation marks correctly?” Floating Head 1 said.

“No way!” Floating Head 2 gasped in disbelief. “Aren’t those taught in, like, elementary school?”

“Yes way,” Floating Head 1 sighed sadly. “I mean, yes they are taught in elementary school, but lots of people aren’t smarter than a fifth grader. That’s why they have that show, “Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?”, you know?”

“I haven’t watched that show,” Floating Head 2 observed. “Isn’t it weird that people would sign up for a show to prove that they are smarter than little kids – and what’s more, that most of them fail?”

“Yeah, that’s reality TV for you.” Floating Head 1 agreed. “Listen, I think our totally not imaginary “conversation” has made its point, so let’s stop talking now.”

“Please let’s,” Floating Head 2 said immediately. “The use of quotation marks might be on-point, but everything else about our “conversation” just screams “bad writing” so hard that it’s making my eyes hurt.”

I couldn’t help but recall the conversation of my dear “friends” Floating Heads 1 and 2 when I walked past your sign today. The sign that exhorted me to “Leave my “Keys” in the car”.

I was extremely confused and troubled as I was not able to locate any such object as “keys”, much less leave them in the car. I have house keys, gate keys, car keys, office desk keys, and piano keys, but the last time I checked, all of them were able to actually unlock their respective doors/gates/shelves, with the exception of the piano keys which nevertheless “unlock” a wonderful world of music.

However, given that all of the above successfully unlock their respective objects, they are clearly real keys and not “keys”. I presume that by “keys”, I am intended to locate an object which does not unlock a door, but a “door”? This however does not assist me as I am also unable to locate any such object as a “door”, since all the doors I am acquainted with are real doors that actually open.

Please give me some guidance on where I ought to find my “keys”. I was very troubled by my inability to comply with your sign, and was forced to leave my car keys (but not my car “keys”) in the car eventually. Perhaps it is my fault for being something of a stickler for rules and becoming very troubled whenever I cannot follow them to the letter. But I have told all my friends (not “friends”) about how distressing I found my inability to do as your sign instructed, and they have all unanimously agreed that they will not rent cars from you in the future. I mean, what if they turn out to be “cars”?

Thank you for your consideration. Or depending on your response, perhaps I should say thank you for your “consideration”. As quoted in “The Manual of Uninspiring Quotes”, “Just remember that when you screw up, some people will never forgive you, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Regards, Totally not a pseudonym

Thanks, great point. I am sure I am guilty of all of these misuses at one time or another. As always not edited, just raw –

To whom it may concern,

Surely you must send your sign maker the address of the “English or Buffoonery School of Learnt (sic) English.” For sure you meant for people, myself included to leave the “Keys” in the vehicle as I know now because of the please encounter with your desk staff. It went like this:

“Didn’t you read the sign?”

“Why, of course and it clearly was written “Keys”. I assumed English was your first language and therefore understood you were telling us to leave the “Keys”, wink, wink, in the car. That is what that sign means to the rest of the English speaking or reading world.”

“For your information I graduated with a degree in English.” Making use of air quotes when saying English. “And approved that sign myself, it means leave your Keys in the car.” Once again using air quotes, this time with the work Keys.”

“I say my friend that I think you have missed a step or two.”

Looking at me head down, eyes peering over his glasses, brow furrowed, finally slowly blinking his eyes as if to say; “I cannot believe I have to talk to the moron again.” He finally utters, “Hunh?”

“I merely want to point out that what your sign says doesn’t really indicate what you want to say. I am here and I don’t think I am the only one to have brought my keys in here. How many times do you have this conversation a day?”

“At least twenty times a day, bub.

“Exactly the point, you don’t think you should change the sign,” using air quotes to designate sign so he will catch my drift.

“Ummm, Yea, maybe your right, but this article on the internet, “How to use Quotation marks on signs by Alfred E. Neuman,” says “Words that you want to stand out should be in quotes.”

“Well how can you argue with that. If “Alfred E. Neuman” says it is so, then by all means.”

“That is exactly what I said, so now take your keys back out to the car so they can check it in,or else you will be charged an extra,” open air quote left hand, “fifty dollars,” closed air quote with right hand.”

There is no more I can do, I withdraw for the day, but the war continues. I hope that you can see the gross injustice to the use of quotations on your sign.

“Sincerely” yours, Miss Quoted

I am not going to write a “protest letter” for a “rental agency” that doesn’t know how to use quotation marks. I always try to accentuate the positive, not “chastise” the “ignorant.” It is possible that “keys” was a code word of some kind for those in the know. After all, it would be strange if the sign read, “Please leave a fifty-dollar bill in car.” But for those who understand how the system works (how the employees will insure no “incidental damage” is erroneously billed to the renter, for example) a sign reading “Please leave ‘keys’ in car” is perfectly acceptable. Of course, I am only speculating on the possibilities.

Can’t you also use quotation marks in a reading log? I mean, lets say you read this book by this author today, and the next day you wanted to read the same thing. Can’t you put quotation marks in the grid that is below to show that it is the same?

Was that last part on the 1st page supposed a joke?

What about the titles of awards? For example in this sentence, “He won the “Golden Globe Award” for “Best Actor in Motion Picture Drama” in “The Wolf of Wall Street” in 2013. Do I need to put all of that in quotations??

Quotes only around the movie title. The rest are merely titles — proper nouns. And (in the US) when you write a quote within a quote, the internal quote is set off with single quotes. Example:

Mary said, “Yesterday, my mother came over and shockingly said, ‘Damn, that man’s a looker!’ and my jaw dropped open in amazement.”

Actually, the movie title should be italicised, not denoted with quotation marks.

1) In writing a book, should these examples have quotes around it? For example – fear in this sentence… 1) There are several uses of the word “fear” throughout the text. Would it be in quotes? Another example – darkness in this sentence…. 2) Because of her affiliation with “darkness” and evil, she was scared. Would it be in quotes? 2) When is it appropriate to use the single quotation, ‘__’.

1. Put the word “fear” in italics. (I’d do it here, too, but I can’t apply formatting on this page.) You’re not quoting anyone, you’re emphasizing. 2. Absolutely no quotes around “darkness”. 3. Re single quotes, why don’t you consult a style guide, like the Chicago Manual of Style? This stuff is all defined. Also, use of single vs double quotes differs between American English and British English.

Thank you so much. That helps.

That’s good to hear. Seriously, I’m not trying to be snarky about referencing a style guide. I’m a technical writer, and we’re ALWAYS referencing the particular style guides that a given company uses. But The Chicago Manual of Style is somewhat universal, and good for most general writing. http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/16/contents.html

What about second and third air quotes in an article? I am writing an article right now that uses them in the #3 option you listed, but how often should I air quote the word after that in the article? Or is only one air quote permissible per article (even though the quoted word itself is used multiple times)?

Whom are you addressing? And “air quotes” are a hand gesture, not real punctuation. I think you need to clarify your question and provide a direct example.

It strikes me that the rental company likely had remote door openers attached to the actual key ring. It would seem they had to endure a number of people only leaving the physical keys and not the infrared remote door openers as people are wont to do. One might be so inclined to make the effort to suss out that “keys” is a euphemistic reference to the entirety of the bundle given the renter at the onset of the relationship. It is possible to imagine said bundle to be labeled “keys.”

Lest someone take the instruction literally (Literally literally, not figurative literally, great job English majors on defending even that bastion of definition!), and strip the ignition/door keys off the ring and leaving only the actual physical keys while absconding with the infrared remote door openers and key rings. You know, the rest of the “keys” to the car.

I cannot imagine what might have happened if you had rented a truck there. They didn’t even specify which car inside of which to leave which keys! Oh bother, why didn’t they simply instruct us to leave everything we received from them in the vehicle we rented!

I couldn’t ken, could I, the cant of argot, without hopeful shot.

I don’t think putting keys in quotation marks affects whether or not you’re suppose to leave the keys. That would make sense if the leave was in quotation marks. I think they probably put in quotes keys because all the cars are modern with fobs. And a fob is not a key. But they didnt want to make a sign that said leave the fob in the car. But actuality the sign looks old so they probably did mean keys but used quotation marks when they should have underlined it. So marks are still used incorrectly but I think its a wrong interpretation to think the marks mean leave or don’t leave….It implies more WHAT the keys are called.

I’m not sure how to treat this sentence: The subconscious begins sending emotional messages of “Help!” Should “Help!” be in quotes? italicized? both?

I am sending an email and copying and pasting a previously written statement from a president of a local college. Do I put this statement in quotation marks?

Did the rules recently change regarding singular quotation marks? It’s “Alice sat on a park bench and watched the ‘runners’ turn their heads towards her, trying to make eye contact.” Singular quotation marks often denote figures of speech used in a non-literal sense for rhetorical or vivid effect. Example: Following his termination, John realized that his ‘friends’ on the board had secretly planned his demise. Actually, President Trump had it wrong by using double quotations in his much-publicized wiretap tweet. If he meant to say that these were not literal wiretaps but surveillance activities, he should have considered using singular quotation marks.”Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my ‘wires tapped’ in Trump Tower just before the victory.”

I’ve never seen or heard of single quotation marks having that usage… Well, I can only speak for American English. Are they used that way in another English-speaking country?

The following would be correct: John realized that his “friends” on the board had secretly planned his demise.

…unless the sentence is quoted. When double quotation marks are themselves quoted, they become single quotation marks, like this: “John realized that his ‘friends’ on the board had secretly planned his demise.”

The way you quoted the Alice sentence is correct, but your example wasn’t. Trump was right to use double quotes and not single quotes. (If you see the quote quoted, however, you’ll see the double quotes turned into single quotes.) The way he wrote it is still very awkward.

My husband is telling me that I don’t need to use quotation marks when there is dialogue, that it’s “implied” that they are speaking to each other. Is this correct?

I have a question. Punctuation marks go inside the quotes (or so I was taught). That makes sense for dialog. But what about quoting specific words or phrases that may or may not include punctuation? For example, quoting a sign: The sign said, “LEAVE ‘KEYS’ IN CAR!”

Seems easy enough to just drop the period. But then there’s this case: Did you see the sign that said, “LEAVE ‘KEYS’ IN CAR!?”

I think it would have to be written like this: Did you see the sign that said, “LEAVE ‘KEYS’ IN CAR!”?

But then suppose the sign did not have an exclamation point. The question mark is not part of the sign, and to be consistent you’d be writing this: Did you see the sign that said, “LEAVE ‘KEYS’ IN CAR”?

The problem is that this looks awkward: The sign said, “LEAVE ‘KEYS’ IN CAR!”.

What’s the proper way to deal with this case?

how do you write quotes within other quotes-a person is thinking , their thoughts are in quotes and then thy quote another?

If you are writing meeting minutes and mention a list of individual policies that are all included in the {Business Name} Policy Manual, should the individual policy titles be surrounded by quotation marks, be italicized, or can they stand as is? For example in the minutes, “The ‘Restrictions on Information Sharing’ policy was discussed”.

Here are two sentences with lists of quotations. Are they both possible in terms of punctuation? If not, what would be correct? 1. They would say such things as, “I knew they could, but they didn’t,” “I didn’t like it, but such is life,” “I was angry, but not at them.” 2. They would say such things as: I knew they could, but they didn’t; I didn’t like it, but such is life; I was angry, but not at them.

Good morning everyone! My question is, how do I quote a movie or play in an essay when I have to compare and contrast them? I find that I have to constantly mention them in my essay and I am wondering if I need to quote them every time I mention them? Thanks.

What if the quotes are meant to emphasize, not your keys (“stupid”). No offense to anyone, just saying. So; leave the keys (not your keys st*#*d) in the car. instead of “Please…LEAVE “KEYS” IN CAR!”

Thank you for this! I have to say, where I “run into trouble” lately is not so much with the use—or misuse— of quotation marks, it’s actually a complete disregard, or even refusal of `young people` to use ANY type of punctuation whatsoever! And then dismissing my comments/response/concerns about how I am literally unable to decipher the meaning they intended to convey because there are too many «likely candidates» of possible meanings that they could be hoping to express. I find it exceedingly frustration and annoying, and I’ve explained to everyone in person (if at all feasible) that I am initiating a new practice/protocol which will affect them. That being: I will disregard/ignore any text messages who lack of punctuation leads to multiple likely potential meanings. I will not ask for clarification, nor will I respond or even acknowledge the message in any way or form. And if they have been expecting a response from me, they should assume that the meaning of their message was ambiguous due to the absence of punctuation. And to receive any type of response they must either: 1. resend with punctuation added (make some attempt; if unclear I will inquire) 2. rephrase their message (to avoid/prevent ambiguity) or at the very least: 3. add line breaks (new lines)

Ironically, I’ve recently become aware of over a dozen ‘new’ punctuation marks to encode more precise, detailed and expressive nuances of meaning to written text! I’m currently developing a font and keyboard layout which will allow me to utilize them with ease as I see fit.

As an adjunct to the proposal(s) advocating the adoption of these novel & convenient expressive punctuation is the idea of using different styles/forms of quotation marks to denote various, specific usages/meanings. (Although I utilized several quotation mark variants, I was not intending to encode unique significance for them, just showcasing several examples.)

Like when MLK jr. said this quote ” We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” was it in public in other words does quote have to be said in public to be quote?

I am writing a research paper and I am using an article someone else wrote as a source in where she is stating facts found elsewhere. If I use those facts word for word I know I use parenthetical citation at the end of the sentence but do I put that sentence in quotations since it isn’t the authors words?

I was just pondering this yesterday while writing, hopefully I got it right…

“The doctor’s won’t tell me anything since they prepped her and took her into surgery. ‘All we can do is wait’, they say.”

Sorry Liz, but the use of “keys” is correct on the sign since modern cars now have ignitions that no longer use a key that can turn, but rather use an ignition device that is pushed or just in the area to start the car. The term key would not be the exact proper term.

To Liz, and everyone else involved here, I wanted to tell you that my whole life is now CHANGED, due to the terribly important aspect of the correct way vs. the incorrect way to use quotation marks! I have been so completely confused, and fretting over the whole concept of how and when it is appropriate to use the double versus the single quote marks! I mean, the entire world’s future hinges on this one aspect, making it perhaps the most relevant issue in today’s troubled times.

Just read your article, and agree with your thoughts in the main.

Perhaps you could address the problem I see cropping up when dialogue is divided into paragraphs. Example “Billy, run to the shop… (New paragraph) When you get home… (new Paragraph) Then tonight after dinner we will…” I was taught the ALL the Paragraphs would have opening quotation marks but NO Closing Marks except the last paragraph which would have both open and closing quotation marks. I am see opening quotation marks at the beginning of the first paragraph and closing quotation marks at the end of the last paragraph, and nothing for the the intervening paragraphs

Also, what are your thoughts on the very small school of thought that does away with quotation marks altogether when it comes to dialogue? I personally find it confusing.

I was hoping to find clarification about when to use single or double quotation marks. Any comments on this?

Dear Car Rental Company,

Please accept my condolences on the sign company’s mistake.

As the sign designers would know if they had read Liz Bureman’s article, “When Do You Use Quotation Marks?,” the punctuation marks surrounding “keys” on the sign are quotation marks, not asterisks.

In some online text, asterisks and other punctuation marks appear surrounding words for mere emphasis. This is a holdover from pre-HTML coding systems, some of which are still in use. Asterisks on either side of “*keys*” would make the word print in bold type, and slashes on either side of “/keys/” would make it print in italics.

In some type fonts, asterisks and quotation marks can look somewhat alike, especially on a small poor-quality screen, as on a cell phone.

“Did the person who took the order read the e-mail on a cell phone?” the owner of a sign company asked the three part-time employees.

“Guilty,” an employee admitted.

“Why did you place quotation marks around ‘keys’?” the owner asked the employee.

“Umm…’cos when I worked for the car rental company somebody left a bag of dirty laundry in a car once,” the employee mumbled.

“I would not have done it,” piped up an older employee, “because when I was at school in England, we were taught to use *single* quotation marks around a quotation, and double quotation marks around a quotation within a quotation.”

“It can be confusing,” said the other part-timer, “because when *I* was at school in England more recently, we were taught to use single quotation marks around an isolated word, such as ‘keys’ when the understood meaning is ‘card thingies used instead of keys,’ and use double quotation marks around an actual quoted sentence, such as ‘It’s become a thing in American culture to use air quotes.'”

“Whatever,” the owner said, making the W sign. “Just send the company another sign, pronto.”

“Really?” What “keys” do you want me to leave? By putting quotation marks around the word keys, you make me wonder if you want your “clients” to leave other than ignition keys of cars in the “car”. According to the article “Keys for Happy Living” someone might leave you a “friend” or a “Bible”. Or after reading the “Keys Can Be Fixed Here” ad you might find a “piano” on the front seat of the car. Your sign gives me “grammaritis” and I hope you are insured for the kinds of “deposits” you may get.

“What good reason would someone have for writing a sign this way?”, I ask. “Maybe they are being sarcastic, because all of their cars have keyless ignitions,” Sally said. “That would make the sign very clever”, I thought to myself. “Maybe I shouldn’t be so quick to judge them. Still it looks suspiciously like someone doesn’t understand the English language ‘well’, or is it ‘good’, enough?”

it would be in quotes.

Would you put quotation marks around a place?

Do you put quotation marks around a place?!!!?

When speaking of the American flag as the Stars and Stripes, do you put quotes around it? Thanks.

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Ways of Indicating Sarcasm in Writing?

Sarcasm is in most cases conveyed by tone of voice or body language, so is much easier to use face-to-face. What are ways of using it in written form?

One way I know of is to use a word that directly suggests sarcasm in context, such as 'totally'.

For example:

That's totally how you are meant to drive a car

Are there other words or methods that achieve this effect? Are any clearer than others?

• word-choice
• single-word-requests

• 4 I would say the italics makes it more sarcastic. As does "double quotes" - He is such a "genius". That is so thoughtful of you –  mplungjan Commented May 28, 2014 at 12:07
• SarcMark? –  Darrick Herwehe Commented May 28, 2014 at 15:32
• Wait—it's possible to write sarcastically? –  Sven Yargs Commented Apr 7, 2017 at 23:17
• In the yesteryear of (bad) standup comics, they would employ a drummer to do a rimshot to emphasize a joke. You can do that when posting online by following a "humorous" statement that people may not recognize as humor with a smiley face. That doesn't work with formal writing, though. –  fixer1234 Commented Apr 8, 2017 at 1:14

3 Answers 3

Almost all words can convey sarcasm, but the trick is in how you use them. Apart from italics and "quotes", a standard way of conveying sarcasm is the hyperbole , meaning that you very clearly overstate something - in case of sarcasm, to mean the opposite.

Be very aware that sarcasm is one of the most difficult emotions to convey in written (on-line) form - I see examples on a daily basis where sarcasm is not picked up by people on discussion forums and the like, which can lead to sometimes very annoying, weird or unpleasant situations. When in doubt, overdo it :

In this case, Layla accidentally made a mistake. Yeah, that is a really smart thing to do, genius ! Why didn't I think of that?

If you are writing to persuade, you can make a very clear sarcastic remark by arguing briefly for the extreme opposite. This will confuse the reader long enough for them to realize it's intended as sarcasm. For example, arguing against investment in a hypothetical country's infrastructure:

Many folks in this council are suggesting that we invest in our infrastructure but this will take away from our education budget.

Another reason we should not invest in better infrastructure is because our unemployment rate is the lowest in the world and we are in such a desperate need to provide jobs. We have too many teachers and not enough construction workers; teachers work best with class sizes of more than 200.

yeah, right

Me? Handsome? Yeahhh, riiight...

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged word-choice single-word-requests or ask your own question .

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How to Use Quotation Marks

Four Ways to Use Quotation Marks -Quoting people (verbatim) -Communicating irony or sarcasm -Identifying “mini” media -Drawing attention to specific words

Quoting People If you put quotation marks around words, phrases, and sentences, you are telling your reader that everything within the quotes was said, verbatim, by someone (whom you should clarify within your writing). If you change the words, you need to use brackets ([]) to indicate a change in words. If you paraphrase, quotation marks are not needed but you still need to cite your source. Introduce most quotes with a comma or a colon.

Correct :  Leon Panetta, President Obama’s former defense secretary, said that if this government shutdown happens, “U.S. citizens will lose trust in our system of governing” (CNN.com). Correct :   Panetta on the impending government shutdown: “U.S. citizens will lose trust in our system of governing” (CNN.com). Incorrect :  Leon Panetta argued that “Americans won’t trust our government” any more. (This is incorrect because the quote was paraphrased and isn’t verbatim; in this case, just don’t use quotation marks).

Communicating Irony or Sarcasm Quotation marks are handy tools for communicating irony or sarcasm. Sometimes we make the gesture with our hands (two fingers bent in each hand) when we talk to our friends. The same is true in writing: if you put quotation marks around a single word or phrase, it will be perceived as sarcasm or as a joke or as something fishy.

Correct :  Your freshly made “bread” kept my bowels churning all night. (This suggests that the bread wasn’t normal; there was clearly something wrong with it). Incorrect :   I would love it if you made “bread” for dinner tonight. (This creates ambiguity: we don’t know if the writer means he really wants bread, or if he is joking). 

Identify “mini” media Quotation marks are used to suggest that something is a title, but that it belongs to something larger. For example, a chapter is part of a book, so a chapter title would go in quotation marks; the title of the book, however, would be italicized. There are several things that go in quotation marks because they are part of something larger. If the item doesn’t belong to anything larger than itself, it should be italicized. Here are a list of items that should go in quotation marks:

-Chapter titles (chapters are part of books) -Articles (articles are part of magazines and newspapers an journals) -TV episodes (episodes are part of series) -Song titles (songs are part of albums) -Journal articles (but not journals)

Correct :  I just watched “The One with the Chicken Pox,” my favorite episode on  Friends. Incorrect : She got tired of reading Malcolm Gladwell’s “Blink”: it was too much like his other books. ( Blink is a book title and should be italicized).

Drawing Attention to Specific Words Quotation marks are also good for drawing attention to specific words. If you want to address a word as a word, put it in quotation marks. But if you’re not addressing a word as a word, then be careful with your quotation marks, or you might be communicating irony or sarcasm as mentioned earlier.

Correct :  When I get really confused, I prefer to say that I was “bumfuzzled”; it’s so much more fun than saying I was “baffled.” Incorrect:  Last night I felt incredibly “bumfuzzled”; I still can’t get over the fact that she ditched me while I was in the bathroom. (Putting quotes around the word in this sentence creates ambiguity as to what  the author really meant by the term). 

Some Important Rules for Using Quotation Marks 1) Quotation Marks Are Not a Highlighting Technique As mentioned above, quotation marks are meant to communicate irony, sarcasm, or humor. They are NOT meant to be used to highlight or emphasize words. There are so many options for highlighting and emphasizing information, but quotation marks are not one of them. If you need to highlight or emphasize something, use a different color , a larger font, a  different font , reverse type (dark color behind light text) , an underline , w h i t e   s p a c e, boldface , italics …shoot, make it blink! But don’t use quotation marks to emphasize or highlight something. Why? Because when you command people (Please don’t “eat” that), it looks like a suggestion, not a requirement. And when you’re trying to sell a genuine product (Fresh “Grapes”), it looks like you’re selling some goofy, illegitimate concoction.

2) Quotation Marks Go Outside of Periods and Commas (Unless You’re British) but Inside Colons and Semicolons It’s true, British English and American English don’t place their periods in the same spot (and the Brits actually call them “full stops,” just to be clear). Don’t blame the Brits on this one—Americans actually have the quirky rule. Regardless of logic, if you use quotation marks in a sentence, the period comes  before   the last quotation mark. But if you’re using a colon or semicolon, the punctuation marks go  after   the quotation marks.

Correct :  My brother threatened that if I ate any more if his Cheetos, he’d, “Stuff a whole apple down my throat.” (Unless, of course, you’re British, in which case the period would jump outside of the quotation marks). Correct :  My brother threatened to “Stuff a whole apple pie down my throat”; apparently he didn’t want me eating any more of his Cheerios. Incorrect:   I told him in response that I would “like to see him try”.

3) Quotation Marks Can Sometimes Go Inside of Question Marks Question marks can go outside of quotation marks in certain cases, like when when you have something quoted within a larger sentence: Can you believe that she said, in front of everyone at the wedding, that she still has “a serious and undeniable crush on my new hubby’s brother”? Because the quoted statement is part of a larger question, the question mark goes outside of the quotation. But if you simply said, “Can you believe she has a crush her new husband’s brother?” the quotation marks go inside.

4) Quotation Marks Are Not Used for Block Quotes If you ever quote someone and the quotation stretches beyond four lines of text in your document, get rid of the quotation marks. Introduce who said the quote, then indent the entire quote to the right and call it good. Indenting the entire quote makes it clear that the text is quoted and is more visually apparent than having quotation marks hidden somewhere in a long paragraph.

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2 thoughts on “ How to Use Quotation Marks ”

You say titles of books or films should be italicized not in quotation marks, but what about handwriting? should you use quotation marks then?

Great question, Matilde!

With handwriting, you should underline anything that would normally be italicized. The ability to italicize came with the advent of desktop publishing and Word processors (like Microsoft Word). Before that technology was available, handwriting and typewriters both had to underline book titles and films. Keep quotation marks out of things that should be italicized or you’ll create a bit of confusion for your reader. 🙂

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A Linguist Explains How We Write Sarcasm on the Internet

By gretchen mcculloch.

on June 22, 2015 in A Linguist Explains

Sarcasm. It’s an Essential Part of a Healthy Breakfast™, but it’s also “dangerous”, especially in writing. What if ~no one~ gets that u are being sarcastic.

this is literally the most srs bsns question ever.

Right, okay, that’s probably enough of the sarcasm voice. The point is, we can speak sarcastically by rolling our eyes or using a particular tone of voice, but what about writing? Why don’t we have a sarcastic equivalent of a question mark or an exclamation mark?

Turns out, it’s not for lack of trying.

There’s a venerable history of proposals for irony punctuation. The backwards question mark ⸮ is probably the most popular: it was first proposed in the 1500s as the percontation point , and was subsequently re-proposed by several people in the 1800s as the slightly catchier irony mark . The 1800s also saw a proposed “oversize arrow head with small stem”, the 1600s saw a proposal for an upside-down exclamation mark ¡, and the 1900s saw the Greek letter psi with a dot underneath (approximately Ψ̣ if my fonts would line up better). And it hasn’t stopped: in the 2000s, we’ve already gotten proposals for both a lightning-bolt exclamation mark and a (proprietary) round-swirly symbol with a dot in the middle, the Sarc Mark. (You can read all about them in detail on the glorious Irony Punctuation Wikipedia article .)

Irony mark as designed by Alcanter de Brahm in a French encyclopedia from 1905

But while these geniuses were coming up with fanciful additions to the keyboard, regular citizens were taking matters into their own, air-quoting hands. We’ve ended up with a whole lot of them, and for the most part they’ve been spontaneously invented by residents of the internet. Let’s take a look — and then we’ll get back to why these methods succeeded where centuries of proposed irony punctuation had failed.

Punctuation

The punctuation-mark-inventors may have been heading in the right general direction (#bless) but it turns out it’s clumsy to create an additional character — and you often want to put that ironic emphasis on a particular word or phrase. Enter sarcastic “quotation marks,” tildes (~so effective), and the elaborate variations which a colleague of mine refers to as ~*~sparkly unicorn punctuation~*~. True, it’s sometimes used for excitement or quoting song lyrics, but when I saw a friend reblog a tumblr post with the tag ~*misandry*~, I knew she was ironically distancing herself from the topic in true Toastean fashion .

But we also sometimes do the opposite: lack of punctuation, especially a question minus its question mark accompanied by all-lowercase, often conveys disingenuous deadpan snark, a sort of “I already know the answer to this question but I’m just going to say it anyway. I might be hoping you’ll laugh, but I’m definitely not asking you for it.” Here’s an example:

BARTENDER: okay man, here’s your appletini MAN: [upset] this isn’t what i ordered BARTENDER: i’m sorry? MAN: why isn’t it a tiny apple — chriiieees (@cwhudson) April 29, 2015

Capitalization

Minimalist capitalization, often combined with minimal punctuation, is also a tremendously productive source of sarcasm. If standardly-capitalized and punctuated text is a regular newsreader voice and all-caps and/or repeated punctuation is SHOUTING!!!! or ENTHUSIASM???, then no-caps with no or little punctuation invokes a flat, laconic tone of voice that fits naturally with sarcasm.

boys like “i prefer less makeup” ok so wear less makeup, tf does that have to do with me — Babygirl (@lilkittten) April 13, 2015

Deliberately misspelling words is a sarcasm method that’s especially useful for mocking the argumentation of people who you strongly disagree with. For example this parody anti-feminism twitter account carefully misspells “feminism” a different way in every single tweet — the implication being that women who are anti-feminist are so ill-informed that they can’t even spell the thing they’re arguing against.

I don’t need fimimmim only men know about cars! this morning i confused my cat’s purring with an engine and tried to drive her to work — WomanAgainstFeminism (@NoToFeminism) April 29, 2015

Dear environmentists: maybe I not “green” but I am red which is compliment color hello did you ever art school? Maybe proFrog conspiracy??? — birdsrightsactivist (@ProBirdRights) May 8, 2015

Internet slang

Certain uses of internet slang can also add a note of sarcasm, especially the vowelless ones : srs bsns, for example, contains a contradiction — how srs can your bsns really be if you’ve disemvowelled it? Similarly, codeswitching between “you” and “u” can be more intimate, which is sometimes sincere (“i love u” is cuter than “I love you”) but sometimes disingenuous (someone asking “u mad?” might not care deeply about your inner wellbeing). Hashtags as a class are often add disambiguating meta-commentary, such as my friend’s ~*misandry*~ tag or this gem from academia twitter:

How do I love thee Let me count the [To purchase full text click below] #ElsevierValentines — Shit Academics Say (@AcademicsSay) February 10, 2015

And of course, there’s the obvious internet sarcasm indicators which go right out and say it in a backchannel, such as </ sarcasm> and #sarcasm.

Entirely deadpan

You can also just be completely deadpan, with no typographical indicators of sarcasm at all. This is a strategy that works — well, kind of — for The Onion:

Beautiful cinnamon roll too good for this world, too pure

Kitten Thinks of Nothing But Murder All Day

But The Onion has a team of professional writers and editors, plus a reputation for parody. Us mere mortals can sarcasm non-typographically with careful phrasing choices, such as adding too many negatives and emphatics (“I definitely did not just spend half an hour debating the relative merits of Bendandsnap Calldispatch versus Ichabbie . Nope. Not me. Never.”)

So, wtf, English?

The first question that might pop into your head on beholding this gorgeous ironic smorgasbord is “Why?” Why are there so darn many ways of expressing sarcasm? Wouldn’t a simple lightning-bolt exclamation mark have been sufficient? And aren’t some of them contradictory? I mean, you can use more punctuation, or less; no capitals, or extra caps — why aren’t we getting confused?

Well, first of all, I mean, why not? There’s no prize for the language with the least possibilities of self-expression. And in person, we’ve got many kinds of silly voices and goofy facial expressions. So as long as people are understanding them, why not have the broadest possible menu of ways to type sarcasm?

There’s the rub though — it works as long as people are understanding. Empirically, we do, even the contradictions, but as a linguist I want to know why. How do we reasonably-savvy residents of the internet know to interpret all these divers methods as sarcasm, even if we haven’t seen a particular one of them before?

My theory is that involves a linguist named Paul Grice. Grice is linguistically famous for coming up with a basic explanation — a series of maxims — for how it is that we’re able to understand each other in conversation. Grice’s Maxims are phrased as commands, but they’re really a description of the assumptions we’re all making about each other when we’re talking. The core maxim is “Be cooperative,” which breaks down into a few sub-maxims:

Maxim of Quality: Try to make your contribution one that is true. (Do not say what you believe to be false. Do not say that for which you lack adequate evidence.)

Maxim of Quantity: Make your contribution as informative as is required. Do not make your contribution more informative than is required.

Maxim of Relation: Be relevant.

Maxim of Manner: Avoid obscurity of expression. Avoid ambiguity. Be brief (avoid unnecessary prolixity). Be orderly.

Here’s an example of Gricean reasoning: suppose I ask you “Would you like some coffee?” and you reply “Coffee would keep me awake.” If I were a LogikBot4000 (or even Siri), I could complain that you haven’t answered my question, but since I’m assuming your response is relevant (Maxim of Relation), I use my knowledge of your sleeping habits and the current time of day to determine whether you’d want to be kept awake right now, add it to my world knowledge that coffee generally contains caffeine and that caffeine makes people wakeful, and therefore conclude whether or not you want coffee.

But the best part of Gricean Maxims is when people appear to break them, because then we can get ~*fancy*~. For example, replying “Coffee would keep me awake” violates the maxim “Be brief”, since of course a simple “yes” or “no” is shorter. And this means that since you bothered to say the longer one, you must have had a reason to do it. In this case, it’s probably politeness: if you meant “no”, the longer version serves as an excuse; if you meant “yes”, the longer version shows your appreciation.

Gricean Maxims explain a whole lot about subtle communication — why too much negation is as bad as not enough ( especially in Night Vale ), why numbers are weird sometimes , why over-literal younger siblings are annoying , why no one’s actually confused about hyperbolic “literally” — and they also help with sarcasm. The thing about sarcasm is that you’re creating a clash between your literal meaning and what you actually mean, but your interlocutor has to understand that you’re doing so — otherwise, it’s simply lying. But Gricean Maxims say we assume people are trying to tell the truth, so faced with an obvious literal lie, we look for other reasons why they might have said that. In face-to-face communication we can create this clash using tone of voice or body language: you can say “that’s so interesting” with a bright, enthusiastic tone and direct eye contact to convey sincerity, or with flat intonation and rolled eyes to create a mismatch, a conflict that says, “Don’t take the literal meaning of my words at face value.”

Without in-person features, we need other methods to make sure a reader picks up on our intended mismatch. Sometimes it’s really obvious, like </ sarcasm> or #sarcasm. Sometimes it’s slightly more subtle: “quotation marks” could be sarcasm or an actual quote, ~*~sparkly unicorn punctuation~*~ could indicate true enthusiasm or begrudged, enforced cheerfulness. And sometimes it’s truly subtle indeed: misspelling femnsism or birb’s rights or avoiding capitalization and punctuation altogether isn’t necessarily sarcastic. It could simply mean that you don’t care, you didn’t notice, or you’re heavily steeped in internet vernacular. The interesting part is the variation: when you deviate from how people expect you to type in a given context, your punctuation choices take on a greater significance. But just like you have to know how to construct a grammatical sentence in order to speak fluent doge , creative typographical choices are meaningful because they play against a background of routine, default ones.

Let’s put them all together. Here’s a real twitter conversation to analyze:

Gina Trapani: “Heterosexuality is SO WEIRD.”

“You’re watching the Bachelorette again, aren’t you.”

Anil Dash: @ginatrapani DON’T PIN THAT SHIT ON US

Gina Trapani: @anildash sorry, this has The Straights written all over it

Anil Dash: @ginatrapani #NotAllBreeders

How do we know Trapani and Dash are joking? We can see a couple marks of sarcasm: the period instead of question mark on “aren’t you”, and the first-letter-caps of “The Straights” plus minimalist caps and punctuation elsewhere in the tweet. #NotAllBreeders requires cultural knowledge to creates a mismatch — it’s a play on the #NotAllMen hashtag, but Dash distances himself from the people who use #NotAll hashtags unironically by using an uncomplimentary word for his own orientation.

But lest you think I’m grasping at straws and the average person’s texts or posts are more “can’t be bovvered ” and less “sophisticated grasp of typographical nuance,” let’s also look something that’s not quite so off-the-cuff. Here’s a passage from Texts from Jane Eyre . Although the premise is “texts from,” we all know that it wasn’t actually tapped out in real-time on a tiny smartphone keyboard — if Mallory wanted to go back and change a capital here or a question mark there, she darn well could have.

MY LITTLE SUNBEAM

WHERE ARE YOU

I NEED YOU BY MY SIDE

I’m taking a walk

be back for dinner

AH YES MY CAGED SPRITE

COMMUNE WITH NATURE AND UPON YOUR RETURN

RELATE TO ME THE VAGRANT GLORIES OF THE  RUINED WOODS

do you really want me to describe my walk to you

MORE THAN ANYTHING YOU POCKET WITCH

it is fairly cloudy out

looks like rain soon

I hope you’re packed for India already

I’m not going to India with you, St. John

That’s not what these TWO TICKETS TO INDIA say

You know I don’t want to marry you

Why don’t you marry Rosamond instead?

Take her with you

Don’t be ridiculous, I’m attracted to her

That’s disgusting

You are disgusting, Jane

In the textversation between Jane and Rochester, Rochy is in painfully sincere all-caps while Jane is in all-lowercase, while in the one between Jane and St. John, they’re both using mixed, mostly standard capitalization, although Sinjin occasionally bursts into all-caps. It’s clear that Jane is a different person, typographically but also emotionally, when she’s with the two men: she and Rochester are opposites, his exuberance against her reticence; but with St. John she’s more conventional — she does things, like learning Hindi but maybe also using capitals, which she doesn’t really want to. St. John too, is more conventional than he wants to be: he could be a foil for Jane if he let himself type in all caps like he clearly wants to sometimes, but in that case he’d have to admit he’s actually into Rosamund.

And this translates into speech. When I’ve done dramatic readings of Texts from Jane Eyre with friends (which is a perfectly normal thing to do, thank you), all-caps makes us shout, roar, emphasize certain words, or speak with breathless excitement. All-lowercase we render in a flat mutter, a childish sulk (Hamlet), or a wary, restrained, deer-in-headlights voice (Jane). We wouldn’t have nearly as much fun if everything were in Standard Newsreader Voice.

In context, sarcastic typography is part of a larger ecosystem of ways to convey emotional nuance and textual tone of voice — and it’s anything but random. Compared with all these subtle distinctions, a single sarcasm punctuation mark is too blunt an instrument: it defeats the entire saying-without-saying part of sarcasm that makes it engaging in the first place. Using a a percontation point or a SarcMark ™ is like explaining why a joke is funny — if you have to bother, you’ve just ruined it anyway.

And no, I see zero irony in coming out against explaining jokes after spending 2500 words explaining how sarcasm works. None whatsoever. Nope.

@GretchenAMcC

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The Importance of Quotation Marks in English Writing

• June 11, 2024

Quotation marks are essential punctuation marks used in English writing that serve several important functions. From denoting spoken words to highlighting particular terms or phrases , understanding how to correctly use quotation marks is crucial for maintaining the clarity and accuracy of any text. In this blog, we'll explore the various uses of quotation marks, highlight their importance, and address some frequently asked questions.

Quotation marks are a pair of punctuation marks used primarily to indicate direct speech and quotations from other sources. However, their usage spans beyond just quoting someone's words. They are also used to emphasize titles, single words, and phrases, making them a multifunctional tool in written English.

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Functions of Quotation Marks

Denoting direct speech.

The primary function of quotation marks is to set off and represent the exact language (either spoken aloud or written) that has come from somebody else. This could be dialogue in a story or quotes in a journalistic piece. For example:

"Can you believe," she whispered, "that they've never been to the circus?"

Highlighting Titles and Specific Terms

Quotation marks are used to denote the titles of shorter works such as articles , short stories, essays, poems, and songs. They are also useful for highlighting specific terms or phrases that may require special attention from the reader:

After reading "The Tell-Tale Heart," she had a greater appreciation for Poe's storytelling.

Indicating Irony or Special Usage

Quotation marks can be used to indicate that a word or phrase is being used in an ironic, sarcastic, or otherwise special sense. They may suggest that what ’ s inside the quotes is not to be taken at face value:

The "fresh" apples at the grocery store turned out to be anything but.

Common Misuses and Their Consequences

I mproper use of quotation marks can lead to confusion and misinterpretation. For instance, unnecessary quotes can make readers think there is implied sarcasm or irony, changing the intended meaning of a sentence. A common example is placing quotation marks around words that aren't quotes or titles, which can inadvertently suggest disbelief or sarcasm, such as:

Try our "delicious" homemade soup.

Quotation marks play a crucial role in writing by clarifying the sources of information, denoting dialogue, and distinguishing specific phrases or terminology. Their correct usage is essential for maintaining the clarity and integrity of any written piece. By mastering the use of quotation marks, writers can ensure their writing is understood exactly as intended, preserving the accuracy and effectiveness of their communication. Understanding these rules and applying them correctly will enhance any written text, whether it is creative, academic, or professional.

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FAQs(Frequently Asked Questions)

Q1: When should I use double quotation marks?

Ans: Double quotation marks are used for quoting speech, phrases, or words directly from other sources, for titles of short works, and to indicate special usage.

Q2: What are single quotation marks used for?

Ans: In American English, single quotation marks are typically used to denote a quote within a quote, while British English often uses them as the primary quotation mark.

Q3: Should punctuation be inside or outside quotation marks?

Ans: In American English, commas and periods that are part of the overall sentence go inside the quotation marks, while semicolons, colons, and dashes go outside. The placement of question marks and exclamation points depends on whether they apply to the quoted material or the whole sentence.

Q4: Can quotation marks be used for emphasis?

Ans: Using quotation marks to emphasize a word is generally considered incorrect. It can confuse the reader, as it typically indicates irony or an unusual usage, not emphasis.

Q5: How do I use quotation marks with other punctuation?

Ans: Never put a period or comma outside quotation marks. Other punctuation like semicolons, colons, question marks, and exclamation points should only be placed inside the quotation marks if they are part of the quoted material.

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Quotation Marks

• Semicolons and Colons
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How to Use Quotation Marks

Quotation marks are used to quote someone’s exact words. They are also used for the titles of short works.

A quote presents someone’s exact words.

• Example: The cartoon character Bugs Bunny is known for his catchphrase, “What’s up, Doc?”

Signal phrases often give quotes context. A signal phrase shows who is speaking when a quote is included in a sentence. Signal phrases can be placed at the beginning of a sentence, the middle of a sentence, or the end of a sentence.

• Example: Gilbert said, “No matter what it takes, I’ll finish clown school.”
• Example: “No matter what it takes,” Gilbert said, “I’ll finish clown school.”
• Example: “No matter what it takes, I’ll finish clown school,” Gilbert said.

Full Sentence Quotes

A full-sentence quote presents an entire quoted sentence.

• Example: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

When using a full-sentence quote in an essay, avoid placing the quote in the middle of a paragraph without any context.

• Incorrect: Many Americans sign up for the armed forces. "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." For those driven by patriotism, serving is the highest honor.
• Correct:  Many Americans sign up for the armed forces. John F. Kennedy stirred Americans to service when he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." For those driven by patriotism, serving is the highest honor.

Partial Quotes

A partial quote presents a segment of a quoted sentence. With a partial sentence quote, do not use a comma, and do not capitalize the first word inside the quotation marks. 

• Original quote: “No matter what it takes, I’ll finish clown school.”
• Partial quote: Gilbert said that he would finish clown school “no matter what it takes.”

Quotes and punctuation

Periods and commas that are part of a quote should be placed inside the quotation marks.

• Example: He said, "It will rain today."
• Example: “It will rain today,” he said.

If a quote itself is a question or an exclamation, place the punctuation inside the quotation marks.

• Example: She asked, “Will it rain today?”
• Example: The student shouted, “I’m graduating!”

If the sentence as a whole is a question or an exclamation, place the punctuation outside the quotation marks.

• Example: Do you really think you’ll find your legendary “City of Gold”?
• Example: She said that I’m “cute as a button”!
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Using Quotation Marks

The primary function of quotation marks is to set off and represent exact language (either spoken or written) that has come from somebody else. The quotation mark is also used to designate speech acts in fiction and sometimes poetry. Since you will most often use them when working with outside sources, successful use of quotation marks is a practical defense against accidental plagiarism and an excellent practice in academic honesty. The following rules of quotation mark use are the standard in the United States, although it may be of interest that usage rules for this punctuation do vary in other countries.

The following covers the basic use of quotation marks. For details and exceptions consult the separate sections of this guide.

Direct Quotations

Direct quotations involve incorporating another person's exact words into your own writing.

• Quotation marks always come in pairs. Do not open a quotation and fail to close it at the end of the quoted material.

Mr. Johnson, who was working in his field that morning, said, "The alien spaceship appeared right before my own two eyes."

Although Mr. Johnson has seen odd happenings on the farm, he stated that the spaceship "certainly takes the cake" when it comes to unexplainable activity.

"I didn't see an actual alien being," Mr. Johnson said, "but I sure wish I had."

When quoting text with a spelling or grammar error, you should transcribe the error exactly in your own text. However, also insert the term sic in italics directly after the mistake, and enclose it in brackets. Sic is from the Latin, and translates to "thus," "so," or "just as that." The word tells the reader that your quote is an exact reproduction of what you found, and the error is not your own.

Mr. Johnson says of the experience, "It's made me reconsider the existence of extraterestials [ sic ]."

• Quotations are most effective if you use them sparingly and keep them relatively short. Too many quotations in a research paper will get you accused of not producing original thought or material (they may also bore a reader who wants to know primarily what YOU have to say on the subject).

Indirect Quotations

Indirect quotations are not exact wordings but rather rephrasings or summaries of another person's words. In this case, it is not necessary to use quotation marks. However, indirect quotations still require proper citations, and you will be committing plagiarism if you fail to do so.

Many writers struggle with when to use direct quotations versus indirect quotations. Use the following tips to guide you in your choice.

Use direct quotations when the source material uses language that is particularly striking or notable. Do not rob such language of its power by altering it.

The above should never stand in for:

Use an indirect quotation (or paraphrase) when you merely need to summarize key incidents or details of the text.

Use direct quotations when the author you are quoting has coined a term unique to her or his research and relevant within your own paper.

When to use direct quotes versus indirect quotes is ultimately a choice you'll learn a feeling for with experience. However, always try to have a sense for why you've chosen your quote. In other words, never put quotes in your paper simply because your teacher says, "You must use quotes."

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Notoriously reluctant to give advice, the author offered his views, and meticulous edits, to a lifelong friend: Roger Payne, the marine biologist who introduced the world to whale song.

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By Walker Mimms

By the time the marine biologist Roger Payne won the MacArthur genius grant in 1984, his fame was well-established: Credited with helping discover the song structure of humpback whales, he had popularized their mysterious groans and creaks with a series of field-recorded LPs that fueled the marine conservation movement.

By the 1990s, as part of a pop-science turn that would deliver to millions of viewers an infectious sense of awe for sea mammals, Payne was giving interviews, directing an IMAX film and narrating television documentaries in a patrician New England accent that made clear “whale” is spelled with an “h.”

He had also begun drafting a book. Part memoir, history and activism, “Among Whales” was designed to maximize concern for increasingly polluted oceans and reverence for their endangered giants. It was his first, and as he wrote, he sought editing help from a new friend, a writer he had met at a reunion for the MacArthur Fellowship: Cormac McCarthy.

McCarthy had won the inaugural MacArthur in 1981, when he was an obscure but revered writer at work on “Blood Meridian.” After that, he said , he went to every MacArthur reunion. He studiously avoided other writers at these events, but when he met Payne, the two became “joined at the hip,” Payne’s widow, Lisa Harrow, recalled after his death. By 1986, they were traveling to Argentina to watch whales together.

Payne died on June 10, 2023, leaving boxes of uncataloged papers that document his combative, creative, decades-long friendship with McCarthy, who survived him by three days.

During his long career, McCarthy sat for very few interviews and kept notoriously silent about his creative process and his approach to craft. In early drafts of “Among Whales,” which are among the documents left by Payne now being prepared for accession by a research institution, he revealed his views.

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