Question Mark And Comma Inside Quotes

If the quoted words are a question put the question mark inside the quotation marks.

Question mark and comma inside quotes. To sum up the rules on question marks. If a question is in quotation marks the question mark should be placed inside the quotation marks. Though not necessarily logical the american rules for multiple punctuation with quotation marks are firmly established. In english we typically use a comma to separate a quotation from an attributive tag a tag that tells the reader who is speaking or acting e g he thought or said he even if the quote would usually end in a period.

How many days until christmas. In summary these are the ways you combine quotation marks with other punctuation marks. Rule the placement of question marks with quotations follows logic. In the us periods and commas are placed inside quotation marks.

This week let s look at the more logical rules governing the use of question marks with quotation marks. Commas and periods always go inside the quotation marks in american english. See here for a brief explanation of the british style commas and periods that are part of the overall sentence go inside the quotation marks even though they aren t part of the original quotation. Semicolons colons and dashes always go outside the closing quotation mark.

Some of you detail oriented okay picky people may want to know what to do when the quotation and the sentence are both questions. The following are rules for punctuating inside closing quotation marks according to the standard american style guides. If the entire sentence is a question put the question mark outside the quotation marks. Commas and periods directly following quotations always go inside closing quotation marks.

Merry christmas squiggly said. However if the quote is a question a question mark needs to be used to show the reader that the sentence is an interrogative sentence. Question marks and exclamation points require. Dashes colons and semicolons almost always go outside the quotation marks.

Omit the comma before an attribution although it s not exactly the same situation the ap stylebook says that when you d put a comma at the end of a quotation before the attribution but the quotation ends in a question mark you should omit the comma. Periods and commas always go inside the closing quotation mark in american english. Question marks and exclamation marks sometimes go inside sometimes stay outside. Answer yes the comma goes inside the quotation marks and after the question mark because the question mark is part of the periodical s title.

The comma would go outside the quotation marks for bre the comma is still necessary in this case because the question mark is not replacing it. All punctuation goes inside the closing quotation. Colons and semicolons are placed outside quotations while question marks and exclamation marks follow the logic of the sentence. In the uk the tendency is to place them outside.