JCM 103 Quotes

Which of the following sentences is punctuated correctly?

A. "Some days, we don't have enough, and it's tough to face customers," Ernizova said. "A lady came in yesterday saying, 'You can't call this lunch.'" (correct) Rationale: The correct answer is A. When you have a quote within a quote - called a nested quote - you use single quote marks. And remember, the comma or period goes inside ALL the quote marks, as in this sentence

Which of the following sentences is punctuated correctly?

A. "We are not going to stop what we're working on to celebrate the Fourth of July," said Sgt. Bill Wyatt, 27, at a small U.S. outpost, some 40 miles south of Baghdad. (correct) Rationale: The correct answer is A. Commas and periods always go inside quotation marks, and you do need a comma at the end of the quote, before the attribution.

True or false? Periods and commas should be put inside quotation marks.

A. True (correct) Rationale: Commas and periods should always be put inside quote marks. So, if the preceding sentence were a quote with attribution, it would read: "Commas and periods should always be put inside quote marks," Jones said.

Which of the following sentences is correct?

B. "It is the same every day since we got here in January," said Lt. Howard Kelly, 25, who is on a 15-month tour in Afghanistan. (correct) Rationale: The correct answer is B: Usually, it's name + said, but there's an exception when the person speaking has a long title or description. Then it's awkward to put "said" at the end. It's better to put it at the beginning.

For a news story, which of the following sentences is correct, assuming Smith has been quoted already in the story?

B. "The holidays are just not that important, but I do look forward to a day when they can be important again," Smith said. (correct) Rationale: The correct answer is B. If this is not the first time Smith has been quoted in the story, then this quote is considered "second reference." And with second reference, you ONLY use the last name of the person quoted. Use no first names and no titles.

True or false? Lengthy titles should be placed before the person's name, like this: "We're shutting down because of budget cuts," said director of the Roseville's Children's Museum of Science Sally Hightower.

B. False (correct) Rationale: Lengthy titles should be placed AFTER the person's name, separated by a comma. This makes it easier on the reader. So, the sentence should be written: "We're shutting down because of budget cuts," said Sally Hightower, director of the Roseville's Children's Museum of Science.

True or false? You should try not to change the words in a quote for a news story or press release, but if you find the sentence sounds better when you change the words, you can go ahead and do it.

B. False (correct) Rationale: The correct answer is B: FALSE. NEVER change the words in a direct quote for a news story or press release. You can use a part of a quote, as long as you don't change the person's meaning.

Which of the following would be most appropriate for a news story?

B. Gulf Shore police said a ruptured gas line forced them to block traffic at East Beach Boulevard and 3rd Street. (correct) Rationale: The correct answer is B. Quotes are not needed because there is nothing special about this content. The officer did not use colorful language or put it in a way that was special or unique. The content can be paraphrased.

Which of the following sentences is punctuated correctly?

C. "Arizona has been looking at oil rigs for 50 years, and frankly, wind turbines look a little nicer," said Frank Jarmon, the Arizona land commissioner. "I think we're tops in wind power in the U.S." (correct) Rationale: The correct answer is C. Commas and periods always go inside quotation marks.

Which of the following sentences is correct?

C. "If I was home, I'd get together with my family and barbecue, and we'd have grilled burgers too, and my wife's potato salad," Hernandez said. (correct) Rationale: The correct answer is C. Attribution typically takes the form of last name + said. The verb comes after the person's name. Also, usually you should just stick with the verb said.

For a news story, which of the following sentences is correct, assuming Smith has already been quoted in the story?

C. "The holidays are just not that important, but I do look forward to a day when they can be important again," Smith said. (correct) Rationale: The correct answer is C. Stick with the verb "said" for quote attributions. Other verbs can be problematic. If you say someone admitted something, you're implying they're guilty of something, and that's not your job. You're a media writer, not a judge and jury. If you say someone claimed something, you're suggesting there might be reason to doubt what they said. Again, that's not your job; your job is to report what you see and hear as accurately and objectively as you can.

Which of the following should be in quotes?

H. a, b and c (correct) Rationale: The correct answer is H. Only single works get quote marks. Works that are compilations - in other words, works that compile single works, like individual articles - do not get quote marks. So, books and TV shows, and even video games get quote marks, but magazines and newspapers do not.