7.23 punctuation of quotes

The following examples show how you punctuate quotes. You can use either single inverted commas (' ') or double inverted commas (" "). The ones used to begin a quote are called opening inverted commas, and the ones used to end a quote are called closing inverted commas.

• 'Let's go,' I whispered.
• "We have to go home," she told him.
• Mona's mother answered: 'Oh yes, she's in.'
• He smiled and asked, 'Are you her grandson?'
• 'Margaret,' I said to her, 'I'm so glad you came.'
• 'What are you doing?' Sarah asked.
• 'Of course it's awful!' shouted Clarissa.
• 'What do they mean,' she demanded, 'by a "population problem"?'

If you are quoting more than one paragraph, you put opening inverted commas at the beginning of each paragraph, but you put closing inverted commas only at the end of the last paragraph.