When Should Punctuation Be Outside of Quotation Marks?

When using quotation marks, it’s important to know when to place punctuation inside or outside of them. Here are some general rules to follow:

Question Marks, Exclamation Marks, and Periods

If a question mark, exclamation mark, or period is part of the quoted material, it should be placed inside the quotation marks.

Example: “Did you know that the Eiffel Tower is over 1,000 feet tall?”

If the question mark, exclamation mark, or period is not part of the quoted material, it should be placed outside the quotation marks.

Example: Did you know that the Eiffel Tower is over 1,000 feet tall?

Commas and Semicolons

Commas and semicolons should always be placed outside of quotation marks, even if they are part of the quoted material.

Example: I love to read, especially books by Jane Austen.
Example: The movie was excellent; however, the popcorn was stale.

Colons and Dashes

Colons and dashes should be placed outside of quotation marks if they are not part of the quoted material. If they are part of the quoted material, they should be placed inside the quotation marks.

Example: The following is a list of my favorite books: “The Great Gatsby,” “Pride and Prejudice,” and “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
Example: “I have only one thing to say to you: run!”

Apostrophes

Apostrophes should be placed inside quotation marks if they are part of the quoted material. If they are not part of the quoted material, they should be placed outside the quotation marks.

Example: “I can’t believe you said that!”
Example: The teacher’s name is Mrs. Johnson.

Additional Tips

Here are some additional tips for using punctuation with quotation marks:

If the quotation is a complete sentence, it should be capitalized and followed by a period.
If the quotation is not a complete sentence, it should not be capitalized and should be followed by a comma.
If the quotation is a question, it should be followed by a question mark.
If the quotation is an exclamation, it should be followed by an exclamation mark.

By following these rules, you can ensure that your use of punctuation with quotation marks is correct and clear.

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When Should Punctuation Be Outside Of Quotation Marks