Point Of Order About Punctuation

[Madeline]

Where does the period go?​

If Kevin writes "I told Susie 'Take the trash out before I leave.'." and I quote him in full, how is that new sentence punctuated? I claim it is done like this:

"Kevin wrote [that he had] told Susie 'Take the trash out before I leave.'."

Now, if Kevin does not use quotes, his sentence becomes:

I told Susie to take the trash out before I leave.

And if I quote that sentence, I claim this is how it should be punctuated:

Kevin wrote "I told Susie to take the trash out before I leave.".

What I am aiming at with this Op is, where does the final period go? Inside the quote or outside?

 

[Valerie]

Outside..and maybe you don't need the one inside?

 

[Liability]

Maddy, please. Be a lady.

No more talk of periods.

 

[Valerie]

The following example contrasts the American style, the British style, and our recommended literary and technical styles using a partial quote from the above example. Note that in the British and technical style, it is clear that we did not quote the entire sentence.

* American: Bill said, "I just got back."
* British: Bill said, 'I just got back'.
* NIVA Literary: Bill said, "I just got back."
* NIVA Technical: Bill said, "I just got back".

You will often find that in technical writing the American style can cause confusion.

* American: Give the file the extension ".TXT."
* British: Give the file the extension '.TXT'.
* NIVA Literary: Give the file the extension ".TXT."
* NIVA Technical: Give the file the extension ".TXT".

The comma is used and the quote is capitalized even when the quotation marks are absent.


Writer's Block - Writing Tips - Placement of Punctuation and Quotation Marks

 

[Valerie]

I think your example amounts to:

NIVA Technical: Bill said, "I just got back".



NIVA Technical: Kevin wrote, "Bill said, 'I just got back' ".

 

[Samson]

Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes.


Examples:
1. The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds.
2. She said, "Hurry up."
3. She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'"

 

[Valerie]

Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes.


Examples:
1. The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds.
2. She said, "Hurry up."
3. She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'"

American style.

 

[mudwhistle]

The following example contrasts the American style, the British style, and our recommended literary and technical styles using a partial quote from the above example. Note that in the British and technical style, it is clear that we did not quote the entire sentence.

* American: Bill said, "I just got back."
* British: Bill said, 'I just got back'.
* NIVA Literary: Bill said, "I just got back."
* NIVA Technical: Bill said, "I just got back".

You will often find that in technical writing the American style can cause confusion.

* American: Give the file the extension ".TXT."
* British: Give the file the extension '.TXT'.
* NIVA Literary: Give the file the extension ".TXT."
* NIVA Technical: Give the file the extension ".TXT".

The comma is used and the quote is capitalized even when the quotation marks are absent.


Writer's Block - Writing Tips - Placement of Punctuation and Quotation Marks

I liked Liability's answer better.

 

[Sunni Man]

Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes.


Examples:
1. The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds.
2. She said, "Hurry up."
3. She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'"

American style.

American style is quick, easy, and to the point.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Quotation Marks: Where Do the Periods and Commas Go--And Why?

 

[JBeukema]

Where does the period go?​

If Kevin writes "I told Susie 'Take the trash out before I leave.'." and I quote him in full, how is that new sentence punctuated? I claim it is done like this:

"Kevin wrote [that he had] told Susie 'Take the trash out before I leave.'."

Now, if Kevin does not use quotes, his sentence becomes:

I told Susie to take the trash out before I leave.

And if I quote that sentence, I claim this is how it should be punctuated:

Kevin wrote "I told Susie to take the trash out before I leave.".

What I am aiming at with this Op is, where does the final period go? Inside the quote or outside?

Kevin's exact words, if I recall, were: 'I told Susie "Take the trash out before I leave.'"


The period goes inside the nested quote, since it's part of the quotation. You don't need to punctuate the sentence containing the punctuation because that would be pointless and wasteful, seeing as it ends along with the quotation.

 

[JBeukema]

The following example contrasts the American style, the British style, and our recommended literary and technical styles using a partial quote from the above example. Note that in the British and technical style, it is clear that we did not quote the entire sentence.

* American: Bill said, "I just got back."
* British: Bill said, 'I just got back'.
* NIVA Literary: Bill said, "I just got back."
* NIVA Technical: Bill said, "I just got back".

You will often find that in technical writing the American style can cause confusion.

* American: Give the file the extension ".TXT."
* British: Give the file the extension '.TXT'.
* NIVA Literary: Give the file the extension ".TXT."
* NIVA Technical: Give the file the extension ".TXT".

The comma is used and the quote is capitalized even when the quotation marks are absent.


Writer's Block - Writing Tips - Placement of Punctuation and Quotation Marks

My style looks most like NIVA Literary, although I use logical quotations as opposed to using typesetters' quotations as is common in America.

 

[JBeukema]

Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes.


Examples:
1. The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds.
2. She said, "Hurry up."
3. She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'"

Except that necessarily leads to incorrect quotations, which can cause problems in technical settings.

 

[JBeukema]

Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes.


Examples:
1. The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds.
2. She said, "Hurry up."
3. She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'"

American style.

Rule if thumb: if it states with 'American' (cheese, style, military aid) you're probably better off declining.

 

[Madeline]

Periods and commas always go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes.


Examples:
1. The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds.
2. She said, "Hurry up."
3. She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'"

I agree with number 1 and number 2 I might concede, but surely number 3 is missing a final period?

 

[uscitizen]

Missing a period can be nerve wracking.

 

[Madeline]

Well, it appears I was wrong...there is no final period. The period goes inside the quotation mark when it ends a piece of dialogue and outside elsewise.

Dagnabit.

Form. Strunk, William, Jr. 1918. Elements of Style

 

[syrenn]

?.

 

[Ringel05]

i, lernd hawh 2 punktwoate' "? in :mi advansd freacshman( )eglicsh clase thiz last }sumer "
!.

 

[Samson]

Missing a period can be nerve wracking.

How do you know?