TRICKY PUNCTUATION RULES - WCJC



TRICKY PUNCTUATION RULES

Commas and periods go inside the quotation marks, like this:

1) last words of quotation,” This is not logical. Most students who don’t

know the rule would put the comma or period

2) last words of quotation.” outside – which is incorrect!

But if a parenthetical reference is added, the comma or period is moved to a new position:

1) last words of quotation” (164), Note: there is a space

after the quotation mark,

3) last words of quotation” (164). before the parentheses.

The colon and semicolon are placed outside the quotation marks:

1) last words of quotation”:

1) last words of quotation”;

When a parenthetical reference is added, these punctuation marks are also moved:

1) last words of quotation” (164):

1) last words of quotation” (164);

Where the punctuation inside the quotation marks is a question mark (?) or exclamation point (!), the mark is left inside when a parenthetical reference is added. And because these marks include a period, no period is added after the parenthetical remark.

(9) last words of question?” AND: last words of question?” (164)

(10) last words of exclamation!” AND: last words of exclamation!” (164)

In summation, avoid double punctuation at the end of quotations. For example, the following are incorrect:

(11) last words of quotation.” (164). The student includes the original period. The

result is double end punctuation (two periods).

(12) last words of quotation,” (164). The student tries to preserve the original comma.

Result: an extra comma with no function.

(13) end of exclamation!” (164). The exclamation INCLUDES a period.

There is no need to add a second period.

(14) last words of quotation.” (164), with a continuation Remove the period, which

now has no purpose.

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