quotation mark
B1Formal to Neutral. Common in academic, journalistic, and technical writing. In everyday speech, the term 'quote' or 'inverted commas' (UK) is often used.
Definition
Meaning
One of a pair of punctuation marks (" " or ' ') used to enclose a direct quotation or indicate that a word, phrase, or title is being discussed rather than used.
Can indicate irony, sarcasm, or a non-standard usage; used to denote so-called 'scare quotes'. Also used to highlight nicknames or to signify words borrowed from another context.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A 'quotation mark' is a single character. The set of two (opening and closing) are 'quotation marks'. They are a type of delimiter. The term can refer to both double (") and single (') marks, with the specific type often clarified by context (e.g., 'single quotation marks').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British English traditionally prefers single quotation marks (' ') for primary quotations, with double marks (" ") for quotes within quotes. American English does the opposite, preferring double marks for primary quotations. This distinction is less rigid in modern digital communication.
Connotations
The term 'inverted commas' is a common synonym in British English. In American English, 'quotes' is the dominant informal term. Using 'quotation marks' is universally formal.
Frequency
"Quotes" is the most frequent term in casual American English. "Inverted commas" remains common in British English, though "quotation marks" is also standard.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Author] [uses] quotation marks [to introduce] [the term].The [word] '[X]' [is placed] in quotation marks.[Remember] to [close] your quotation marks.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in quotes”
- “air quotes (gesture)”
- “scare quotes”
- “so-called (often implying quotation marks)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in reports to cite client feedback or specific terms from contracts. E.g., 'The clause labelled "force majeure" was discussed.'
Academic
Essential for direct citations, referencing titles of articles or chapters, and discussing terminology. Strict style guides (APA, MLA, Chicago) dictate usage.
Everyday
Used when texting or writing to indicate speech, irony, or emphasis. E.g., 'He said he was "too busy" to call.'
Technical
In programming, they are string delimiters, with single and double quotes often having different functional meanings (e.g., in Python).
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The journalist forgot the closing quotation mark.
- Use single inverted commas for the main quote.
- His use of scare quotes was very effective.
American English
- Always include the closing quotation mark.
- The style guide requires double quotes.
- Her essay had several typos involving quotation marks.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My name is in quotation marks on the list.
- She said "hello" to me.
- The teacher asked us to put the title in quotation marks.
- He always uses air quotes when he's being sarcastic.
- According to the MLA handbook, you must use double quotation marks for short story titles.
- The term 'cancel culture' is often written in scare quotes to indicate controversy.
- The author's deployment of quotation marks around the word 'progress' subtly critiques the era's ideology.
- In Python, single and double quotation marks are functionally interchangeable for defining strings.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of them as tiny 'hooks' that 'catch' someone's exact words, lifting them off the page.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CONTAINER for words (the quote is 'inside' the marks). A SIGNPOST pointing to special language.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with other punctuation like «ёлочки» or „лапки“, which are used in Russian. English primarily uses the vertical " ", ' '.
- The phrase "кавычки" translates directly, but the usage rules (single vs. double) differ from Russian typographical conventions.
- Do not use the angled guillemets (« ») common in French or Russian when writing in English.
Common Mistakes
- Forgetting the closing quotation mark.
- Incorrect nesting: e.g., She said, "He told me, 'I'm leaving.'" (Correct) vs. She said, "He told me, "I'm leaving."" (Incorrect).
- Placing other punctuation outside the marks when it belongs to the quote (US rules). E.g., He said, "Stop." (Not He said, "Stop".).
- Using 'quote' to mean 'quotation mark' in formal writing (e.g., 'Put a quote at the end' is informal).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a correct use of quotation marks in British English conventions?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Quote' is a verb meaning to cite or repeat someone's words, or a noun meaning the cited passage itself. 'Quotation mark' is the noun for the punctuation symbol (" or '). Informally, 'quotes' can mean quotation marks.
In American English, periods and commas almost always go inside the closing quotation mark. In British English, they go inside only if they are part of the quoted material, otherwise outside. E.g., US: She said "stop." UK: She said "stop".
It depends on your style guide. Generally, American English uses double marks for main quotes and single for quotes within quotes. British English often does the reverse. Newspapers and some styles may differ.
Scare quotes are quotation marks used around a word or phrase to express doubt, irony, or to distance the writer from its usual meaning. E.g., The company's 'generous' offer was actually quite small.