Commas and Periods in Quotations: Punctuation Rules and Best Practices

In written communication, especially when dealing with quotations, adherence to correct punctuation is crucial to maintaining clarity and accuracy. This guide will explore the placement of commas and periods within quotations while providing practical examples and common scenarios.

Understanding Quotation Punctuation Rules

When quoting from a source, the general rule is to reproduce the original punctuation as closely as possible. This means if the original text includes commas or periods, these should be maintained in the quote. However, if you need to make corrections to the original text due to errors, you can use specific error markers to inform your readers.

To indicate that an error or deviation from the original text is intentional, you can use the [sic] marker. For instance, if the original text says, 'The cat ilks the mouse,' you should quote it as 'The cat [sic] the mouse' to maintain accuracy while acknowledging the error.

The Placement of Commas and Periods in Quotations

In the USA, a full quotation, including all punctuation marks, should be surrounded by two sets of double quotation marks. This is to clearly delineate the extent of the quotation. For example:

Anne, I am going to the store. Would you like me to get you something? Yes, a bottled water. Thanks! OK, I'll be back in a few minutes.

Here, note how each person's quote is separated by a period and surrounded by quotation marks. Additionally, if multiple people are being quoted, their quotes are treated separately.

Long Quotations and Multi-Paragraph Quotations

When dealing with lengthy quotations that span multiple paragraphs, it is important to maintain consistency in punctuation. The generally accepted practice is to use quotation marks at the beginning and the end of the entire quotation, as well as at the start of each new paragraph within the quotation. This ensures clarity and ease of reading. For example:

This is my story. I was born…
ldquo;Blah blah blah…
ldquo;Blah blah blah…
ldquo;Blah blah blah…
ldquo;Blah blah blah…

Note that each paragraph within the quotation begins with a set of quotation marks and ends with a period, followed by another set of quotation marks. This structure helps to clarify the text and maintain the flow of the quotation.

Quotations Within Quotations

It is not uncommon for one quotation to be within another. In such cases, it is standard to use single quotation marks for the inner quotation. This practice clearly distinguishes between the outer and inner quotations. For example:

Anne, I love you so much. I remember the first time I gave you roses. Your face beamed and you said, 'Oh darling.' Then you fell into my arms.

Here, note how the words Oh darling are enclosed in single quotes, indicating that they are part of the inner quotation.

Conclusion

Understanding how to properly place commas and periods in quotations is essential for clear and accurate writing. By adhering to these rules and best practices, you can ensure that your quotations are both precise and easily understandable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use single or double quotation marks in the UK? In the UK, and many other English-speaking countries outside the USA, single quotation marks are often used for direct speech, while double quotation marks are used for secondary quotations. However, in the USA, double quotation marks are standard for all quotations. When should I use [sic] in a quotation? You should use [sic] when the original text contains an error, and you want to indicate that the error is in the original text, not in your reproduction of it. How do I handle long quotations within a paragraph? For long quotations within a paragraph, consider integrating them into the text rather than using separate quotation marks. This can be done using tags or by directly mentioning the text while indicating the source.