Do you use a colon before quotation marks?
In the United States, the rule of thumb is that commas and periods always go inside the quotation marks, and colons and semicolons (dashes as well) go outside: “There was a storm last night,” Paul said. Peter, however, didn’t believe him.
Do quotation marks go after a colon?
Colons, dashes, and semicolons almost always go outside of quotation marks. The only exception is if the colon, semicolon, or dash is a part of the sentence you are quoting.
When should punctuation be outside of quotation marks?
Place a question mark or exclamation point within closing quotation marks if the punctuation applies to the quotation itself. Place the punctuation outside the closing quotation marks if the punctuation applies to the whole sentence.
Why do periods go inside quotation marks?
The point of conventions is that they provide common tools for understanding, so if you are preparing material in a British context, follow British rules. But if you are preparing a paper for a class or for publication in the United States, place periods and commas inside quotation marks.
When using dialogue do you use a comma or colon?
The colon is used after a clause to introduce explanatory information, give examples, introduce a quote, and in dialogue and question-and-answer formats. A comma is often used instead of a colon in dialogue, particularly for short quotes.
How do you use a colon in a quote?
To present a quotation after a complete sentence (e.g., those ending in thus or as follows), put a colon after the introductory sentence and before the quotation marks.
Does punctuation go inside quotation marks UK?
Commas and Periods Within Quotation Marks British English puts commas and periods (full stops) outside the quotation marks unless the quotation is also a complete sentence or the punctuation is part of the quotation.
Do you put a comma after a question mark in quotes?
In cases when a question mark is used, there is no need to use a comma as well; instead, the attributive tag should come immediately after the closing quotation marks. Consider the example below: “Do you want to come to the movies with us?”, Mary asked. “Do you want to come to the movies with us?” Mary asked.
What does a comma or colon usually precede?
There is only a choice between a comma and a colon when the quotation is being introduced. Only a comma can be used after a quotation. For example: Paul looked over the hedge and shouted: “You can keep half of the strawberries you pick.”
Do you put a comma before a quote?
As a general rule, you should use a comma to introduce quoted material or dialogue. That’s because in most types of dialogue, the quoted material stands apart from the surrounding text. In grammatical terms, it’s “syntactically independent.”
What do em dashes do?
The em dash can function like a comma, a colon, or parenthesis. Like commas and parentheses, em dashes set off extra information, such as examples, explanatory or descriptive phrases, or supplemental facts. Like a colon, an em dash introduces a clause that explains or expands upon something that precedes it.
How do you use a colon when quoting?
You can use a colon before a quotation when the quotation is at least one sentence. Having a quotation that is a full sentence (or more) is far more common than having an introduction that is an independent clause. For example: The minister said: “The next time I stand up here, I will have answers to these questions.”
When to use a colon with quotation marks?
Font size: The colon should be placed outside quotation marks. When matter ending with a colon is quoted, the colon is dropped: The employee has two objections to the practice of “early retirement”: He wants to continue working, and the policy manual does not require it.
Where do semicolons go after a quotation mark?
In summary, these are the ways you combine quotation marks with other punctuation marks: Semicolons, colons, and dashes always go outside the closing quotation mark. Periods and commas always go inside the closing quotation mark (in American English).
When to use a comma or a colon in a sentence?
(Rule 4) You can only use a comma (i.e., not a colon) after a quotation. There is only a choice between a comma and a colon when the quotation is being introduced. Only a comma can be used after a quotation. For example: Paul looked over the hedge and shouted: “You can keep half of the strawberries you pick.”
Do you put periods and commas inside quotation marks?
Quotation Marks with Commas and Periods. The most common question people ask about quotation marks is whether periods and commas go inside or outside, and the answer depends on where your audience lives because in American English we always put periods and commas inside quotation marks, but in British English periods and commas can go inside…