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Using Quotation Marks and Italics

English Notes 2013

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Rule 1

Use quotation marks to enclose a direct quotation.

Example“Please return these books to the library,” said Ms.

Chu.

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Rule 2

Use quotation marks to enclose each part of an interrupted quotation.

Example“Spiders,” explained Sean, “have eight legs.”

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Rule 3

Use commas to set off a dialogue tag, such as he said, from the quotation itself. Place commas inside closing quotation marks. (See example from rule 2).

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Rule 4

Place end marks inside closing quotation marks.

ExampleToby said, “My aunt Susan received her degree in

June.”

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Rule 5

Place a question mark or exclamation point inside closing quotation marks if it is part of the quotation.

Example Cynthia asked, “Have you ever visited Florida?”

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Rule 5 continued

Place a question mark or exclamation point outside closing quotation marks if it is part of the entire sentence, but not part of the quotation.

ExampleDid Jerry say, “It’s raining cats and dogs”?

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More of Rule 5

When an interrogative sentence (or exclamatory) contains an interrogative (or exclamatory) direct quotation, use only one question mark (or exclamation) inside of the closing quotation marks.

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A question within a question?

Did Jerry ask, “Did you enjoy your trip to Florida?”

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Rule 6

Enclose in quotation marks titles of short stories, essays, poems, songs, articles, book chapters, and single television show episodes that are part of a series.

Example“Charles” [short story]“Jingle Bells” [song]“Joey Finds his Brain” [TV series single episode]“UM Canes Defeated by Oklahoma Sooners”

[Newspaper article]

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Rule 7

Use italics or underlining for titles of books, plays, movies, television series, magazines, newspapers, works of art, music albums, and long musical compositions. Also, use for the names of ships, airplanes, and spacecraft. Don’t italicize or underline the

word the before the title of a magazine or newspaper.

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Examples

The New York Times [newspaper]

the San Francisco Chronicle

Titanic [ship]

The Hunchback of Notre Dame [movie and book]

the Mona Lisa

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1. For my book report said Samantha I will read Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson.

2. Then Jeff played Deep in the Heart of Texas on the piano.

3. What a hilarious story that was exclaimed Trixie.

PLUG IN the punctuation

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4. Doesn’t the magazine National Geographic have some fine nature photographs asked Dean.

5. I am writing in my journal Zelda told her brother.

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6. That movie said Susan was very funny.

7. I have never seen it Todd replied.

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8. Did Angel say I have never heard of that movie

9. Running deer said This is the place of the high waters

10. Rita called her essay The Perfect Sandwich