American Literature B. Quotation Marks and Underlining

In which sentence are quotation marks used correctly? direct quotation

"How are your classes?" asked Xavier. A direct quotation represents a person's exact speech or thoughts and is enclosed in quotation marks.

In which sentence is all punctuation correct? Interrupting Expression

"Most people," I told him, "believe anything they hear on television or see on the Web." Use a comma after the part of a quoted sentence that is followed by an interrupting expression. Use another comma after the expression.

Key Concept: Quotation Marks for Direct Quotations

A direct quotation represents a person's exact speech or thoughts and is enclosed in quotation marks (" "). An indirect quotation reports only the general meaning of what a person said or thought and does not require quotation marks.

Key Concept: Other Punctuation Marks With Quotation Marks Part One

Always place a comma or a period inside the final quotation mark. Examples The reporter said, "I'm ready if you are.""I took several pictures of the candidate," he said.

Direct and Indirect Quotations Examples

Direct Quotation The journalist said, "I expect to be finished with the article before the deadline." Indirect Quotation The journalist said that he expected to be finished with the article before the deadline. An indirect quotation rephrases someone else's words. It does not use the exact words of the speaker. In a direct quotation, the words of the speaker are quoted exactly.

Which sentence is written correctly? indirect quotation response

I replied that the new music teacher had a certain je ne sais quoi. Underline or italicize foreign words or phrases not yet accepted into English.

Which sentence is punctuated correctly? An indirect quotation

I think he meant that some people will always want to know the truth about current events from an unbiased source. An An indirect quotation reports only the general meaning of what a person said or thought and does not require quotation marks. reports only the general meaning of what a person said or thought and does not require quotation marks.

Formal Introductory Expression

If the introductory expression is more formal in tone or if it contains no conversational tag, use a colon instead of a comma. Example She gazed at the assembled crowd: "Thank you for the honor you have awarded me."

Key Concept: Dialogue and Long Quotations

In many stories and novels, the use of dialogue, or direct conversation between two or more people, plays an important role. Much of what is happening is indicated through the words of the characters. Each writer develops his or her own style in writing dialogue. The writer must follow the rules for writing quotations, however, so that the reader will know who is speaking. When writing dialogue, begin a new paragraph with each change of speaker

Walt Whitman, an occasional journalist, gained fame after publishing the book of poems

Leaves of Grass The titles of books and other long written works should be underlined or written in italic type. Leaves of Grass is a book title and should be italicized.

Which sentence is written correctly?

My editor said to never use the word can't when talking about a deadline Underline or italicize words used as names for themselves, such as can't.

Which set of sentences is written and punctuated correctly? quoted phrase or fragment

My sister said, "People writing blogs are the new journalists." I told her I didn't trust her "new journalists." The first word of a quoted phrase or fragment is capitalized only when it falls at the beginning of a sentence or when it would be capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence.

Key Concept: Other Punctuation Marks With Quotation Marks Part Four

Notice the difference when the exclamation mark or question mark refers to the entire sentence. Examples Did the editor state, "This is an equal opportunity organization"? Run from anyone who whispers, "I have a deal you can't refuse"! In each example, the end mark goes outside of the punctuation mark because it belongs to the entire sentence, not to the quote. You should also place the end mark outside if both the quote and the entire sentence require a question mark or an exclamation mark.

Which sentence is written correctly? direct quotation

One very short poem by Whitman is called "A Noiseless Patient Spider." Use quotation marks around the titles of short written works.

Other Punctuation Marks With Quotation Marks

Quotation marks are used in conjunction with many other punctuation marks. Unfortunately, the location of the quotation marks in relation to the other punctuation marks is not always the same. It varies depending on the other punctuation marks and, in some cases, on the meaning of the sentence. The rule for commas and periods is always the same.

Key Concept: Direct Quotation Conversational Tag

Sometimes, a direct quotation comes before a conversational tag. Use a comma, question mark, or exclamation mark after a quotation followed by a concluding expression. Example "The New York Times was founded in 1851 by Henry J. Raymond," the tour guide explained. In the example, a comma follows the direct quotation, and a period is used after the conversational tag because it ends the sentence. Notice also that the comma comes before the quotation mark.

uninterrupted direct quotation

Sometimes, the exact words of the speaker are not available, and the only way to express the speaker's sentiments is to rephrase them in an indirect quotation. If the actual words of the speaker are available, however, they should usually be used in order to achieve dynamic, strong writing. A sentence that is an uninterrupted direct quotation requires quotation marks around it. Example "To be a journalist is to have a ringside seat to the unfolding of history." —Wes Gallagher Notice that the preceding quotation begins with a capital letter and is a complete sentence. Each sentence of quoted material should always begin with a capital letter.

Xavier said that his English class would be reading a long play called

The Crucible The titles of long works are generally indicated by underlining or italic type.

Key Concept: Quotations

The first word of a quoted phrase or fragment is capitalized only when it falls at the beginning of a sentence or when it would be capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence. Notice in the following examples that quotation marks are still placed around the quoted words, but the need for capitalization changes. Examples In "Memories of Christmas," Dylan Thomas mentions that one Christmas "was so much like another." "The song of the people, transformed by the experiences of each generation" is what holds people together, according to Alice Walker. Many direct quotations contain two parts: the actual words of the speaker (the direct quotation) and a group of words identifying the speaker. The words identifying the speaker are called conversational tags or "he said / she said" expressions. They include such common expressions as she said, he replied, the professor explained, and Gary asked. The possibilities are almost endless, but they all have one feature in common: Conversational tags are not enclosed in quotation marks. There are three ways of using a conversational tag in a sentence: as an introductory expression, as a concluding expression, or as an interrupting expression.

In which sentence are quotation marks used correctly? direct quotation

The news reporter said, "Good reporting will always be appreciated by some." A direct quotation represents a person's exact speech or thoughts and is enclosed in quotation marks.

How would you punctuate the following sentence: What happened to the Hindenburg?

The proper noun, Hindenburg, needs to be underlined, as in this example: What happened to the Hindenburg? In 1937, this famous airship, the largest ever to fly at the time, burst into flames in flight, causing a reporter named Herbert Morrison at the time to exclaim, "Oh the humanity!"

Key Concept: Other Punctuation Marks With Quotation Marks Part Two

The rule is the reverse when quotation marks are used with semicolons and colons. Always place a semicolon or colon outside the final quotation mark. Examples I fully understand what she means by a "call for drastic action"; the situation becomes more pressing each day. We emphatically deny these "nasty accusations": They are ill-founded and not based on fact.

Key Concept: Other Punctuation Marks With Quotation Marks Part Three

The rules for the use of quotation marks with question marks and exclamation marks are more complicated. Place a question mark or an exclamation mark inside the final quotation mark if the end mark is part of the quotation. The question mark in the first of the examples is placed inside the quotation mark because it belongs to the quotation itself. The same is true of the exclamation mark in the second example. It belongs inside the quotation mark because it is part of the quotation itself. Examples Marie asked, "Have the reporters phoned yet?"The spokesman exclaimed, "We demand our rights!"

Key Concept Ellipsis Marks and Single Quotation Marks Part Two

The second special problem involving quotation marks concerns a quotation within a quotation. A quotation within a quotation is set off with single quotation marks (' ') instead of the regular double marks (" "). The larger quotation is still set off with double quotation marks.Key Concept Use single quotation marks for a quotation within a quotation. Example I can still hear our tenth-grade English teacher reciting the line from Poe: "Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore.'" Notice that the single quotation mark goes outside the period, just as a double quotation mark does. If a quotation within a quotation causes confusion, rephrase the material to eliminate the quotation within a quotation.

Key Concept Ellipsis Marks and Single Quotation Marks

There are two other special problems involving the use of quotation marks. The first concerns the use of ellipsis marks (. . .) in a shortened quotation. Frequently, a writer wishes to include only a portion of a long quotation in a piece of writing. In such a situation, ellipsis marks can be used to show that some words have been omitted. Use three ellipsis marks in a quotation to indicate that words have been omitted. Ellipsis marks can be used at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a quotation. An Entire Quotation"Whenever I prepare for a journey I prepare as though for death. Should I never return, all is in order. This is what life has taught me."—Katherine Mansfield Ellipses at the Beginning Katherine Mansfield speaks of preparing for a trip ". . . as though for death." Ellipses in the Middle Katherine Mansfield once wrote, "Whenever I prepare for a journey I prepare . . . for death." Ellipses at the End Walt Whitman once wrote, "I hear America singing. . . ." Notice that when a quotation ends with an ellipsis, as in the last example, a period is added to the ellipsis marks to terminate the sentence.

Underlining, Italics, Quotation Marks

There are various ways of indicating titles in writing. In books, periodicals, and other printed publications, italics are used to indicate many types of titles. In handwritten material, the writer underlines items that in print would be italicized. When using a word processor, you may choose to underline or use italic type. Other types of titles require the use of quotation marks. Quotation marks are used in both printed and handwritten materials. Underline or italicize the titles of books and other long written works, of publications that are published as a single work, of plays, and of other works of art. Books, Magazines, and Newspapers. I want to read Nancy Wolcott's Women and the American Experience. The Atlantic Monthly is a very good magazine.I subscribe to The New York Times. Pamphlets Distributed at the start of the Revolutionary War, Thomas Paine's Common Sense helped to turn the tide of public opinion. Long Poems The Rime of the Ancient Mariner is one of my favorite poems. Movies and Plays (two acts or longer)At the time of its release. Titanic was the most expensive movie ever made. The Glass Menagerie is a sad play about the fragile nature of humanity. Works of Art Operas and Symphonies Mona Lisa is a masterful example of Da Vinci's talent.Mozart's Figaro is my favorite opera. CDs and TV Programs I bought a copy of The Beatles' Abbey Road. Did you watch 60 Minutes last night? Underline or italicize the names of individual air, sea, space, and land craft. Example The President arrived on Air Force One.

Titles Without Underlining Or Quotation Marks

Two types of titles should not be underlined or enclosed in quotation marks. The first type is made up of religious works. Do not underline, italicize, or place in quotation marks the name of the Bible, its books and divisions or versions or other holy scriptures, such as the Torah and the Koran. Example Will you read from Genesis in the Old Testament? Other titles that should not be underlined or enclosed in quotation marks are government documents. Do not underline, italicize, or place in quotation marks the titles of government charters, alliances, treaties, acts, statutes, speeches, or reports. Examples The Taft-Hartley Labor Act was passed in 1947. We memorized the Preamble to the Constitution

Underlining, Italics, Quotation Marks Part 2

Underline or italicize foreign words or phrases not yet accepted into English. Examples The famous star signed the letter con amore, "with love. "The French expression mère de famille means "mother of a family. "The composer's notation read con spirito, "with spirit." Some foreign words and phrases retain their foreign pronunciation but are no longer underlined or italicized because they are now considered part of our language. Not Under Lined amour, caveat emptor, cliché, blitzkrieg, gourmet, milieu, siesta, staccato, chauffeur, pizza, dilettante Underline or italicize numbers, symbols, letters, and words used as names for themselves. Numbers Is that a 3 or an 8? Symbols Use a ? after a direct question. Letters He has a strange way of writing his f's and t's. Words She often uses nevertheless to connect her ideas. Underlining or italics may also be used to emphasize a particular word or phrase.Key Underline or italicize words that you wish to stress. Example Be sure to study the rules CAREFULLY. Do not overuse underlining to emphasize your meaning. Rely instead on a precise choice and arrangement of words.

Key Concept: The Conversational Tag Can Interrupt The Direct Quotation

Use a comma after the part of a quoted sentence that is followed by an interrupting expression. Use another comma after the expression. Example "The New York Times," the tour guide explained, "was founded in 1851 by Henry J. Raymond." In this example, the quotation has been interrupted by a conversational tag. Both parts are enclosed in quotation marks, and there are commas before and after the conversational tag. Once again, the first comma comes before the quotation mark.

Key Concept: Introductory Expression

Use a comma or colon after an introductory expression. Example The tour guide explained, "The New York Times was founded in 1851 by Henry J. Raymond." In the example, the conversational tag comes first and is set off from the direct quotation with a comma.

Key Concept: a conversational tag can interrupt a quotation that is several sentences long

Use a comma, question mark, or exclamation mark after a quoted sentence that comes before an interrupting expression. Use a period after the expression. Example "I want to have time to look for my children and see how many I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead," said Chief Joseph of the Nez Percé. "Hear me, my chiefs. I am tired; my heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever." Writers vary their use of conversational tags in the ways shown in the examples to achieve variety

Key Concept: Quotation Marks

Use quotation marks around the titles of short written works (including one-act plays and short poems), chapters in a book, episodes in a series (including individual episodes of television programs), songs, and parts of long musical compositions or collections. Examples I admire the poem "I Hear America Singing.""Charles" is one of my favorite short stories. His favorite song by The Beatles is "Something." Read Chapter 1, "Dynamic Democracy," in FREEDOM'S FERMENT

Which sentence is written correctly?

Walt Whitman's poems express an amazing joie de vivre Underline or italicize foreign words or phrases, like joie de vivre, which are not yet accepted into English.

Which sentence is written correctly? indirect quotation

Xavier then asked if I liked the new music teacher An indirect quotation reports only the general meaning of what a person said or thought and does not require quotation marks.

Quotation Marks in Special Situations

You also need to know how to use quotation marks in dialogues and in quotations of more than one paragraph. In addition, you may want to leave out part of a person's words in a quotation or to include one quotation within another. The rules about to follow will guide you in these special situations.

The news reporter _____ "I hope that people consider the reliability of the source of any news they hear." Which choice best completes the sentence?

said, Use a comma or colon between an introductory expression and a quotation.