Rules for Punctuating Direct Quotations Name/Date/Hour:
Rule 1: Quotation marks must be included at the beginning & end of a direct quotation.
From “Harrison Bergeron”:
How you would punctuate this quotation in an essay:
Rule 2: When a character speaks, it must be punctuated with single quotation marks.
From “Harrison Bergeron”:
How you would punctuate this quotation in an essay:
It was tragic, all right, but George and Hazel couldn’t think about it very hard. Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldn’t think about anything except in short bursts.
The text states, “It was tragic, all right, but George and Hazel couldn’t think about it very hard. Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldn’t think about anything except in short bursts” (Vonnegut).
Notice the end punctuation is now placed after the in-text citation.
“I’d think it would be real interesting, hearing all the different sounds,” said Hazel, a little envious. “All the things they think up.”
The text goes on to say, “‘I’d think it would be real interesting, hearing all the different sounds,’ said Hazel, a little envious. ‘All the things they think up’” (Vonnegut).
Notice there is still a double quotation mark at the beginning and end of the entire quotation.
Rule 3: When multiple characters speak, rules 1 and 2 still apply.
However, dialogue must be recorded as a block quotation.
From “Harrison Bergeron”:
How you would record this quotation in an essay:
Hazel, as a matter of fact, bore a strong resemblance to the Handicapper General, a woman named Diana Moon Glampers. “If I was Diana Moon Glampers,” said Hazel, “I’d have chimes on Sunday – just chimes. Kind of in honor of religion.”
“I could think, if it was just chimes,” said George.
Body paragraph, body paragraph, body paragraph, body paragraph, body paragraph.
According to the story,
“Hazel, as a matter of fact, bore a strong resemblance to the Handicapper General, a woman named Diana Moon Glampers. ‘If I was Diana Moon Glampers,’ said Hazel, ‘I’d have chimes on Sunday – just chimes. Kind of in honor of religion.’
‘I could think, if it was just chimes,’ said George” (Vonnegut).
Body paragraph, body paragraph, body paragraph, body paragraph, body paragraph.
Notice that the entire block quote is indented and a new paragraph begins when a new character speaks.
Rules for Punctuating Direct Quotations Name/Date/Hour:
Rule 1:
From “Harrison Bergeron”:
How you would punctuate this quotation in an essay:
Rule 2:
From “Harrison Bergeron”:
How you would punctuate this quotation in an essay:
It was tragic, all right, but George and Hazel couldn’t think about it very hard. Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldn’t think about anything except in short bursts.
The text states, “It was tragic, all right, but George and Hazel couldn’t think about it very hard. Hazel had a perfectly average intelligence, which meant she couldn’t think about anything except in short bursts” (Vonnegut).
Notice the end punctuation is now placed after the in-text citation.
“I’d think it would be real interesting, hearing all the different sounds,” said Hazel, a little envious. “All the things they think up.”
The text goes on to say, “‘I’d think it would be real interesting, hearing all the different sounds,’ said Hazel, a little envious. ‘All the things they think up’” (Vonnegut).
Notice there is still a double quotation mark at the beginning and end of the entire quotation.
Rule 3:
From “Harrison Bergeron”:
How you would record this quotation in an essay:
Hazel, as a matter of fact, bore a strong resemblance to the Handicapper General, a woman named Diana Moon Glampers. “If I was Diana Moon Glampers,” said Hazel, “I’d have chimes on Sunday – just chimes. Kind of in honor of religion.”
“I could think, if it was just chimes,” said George.
Body paragraph, body paragraph, body paragraph, body paragraph, body paragraph.
According to the story,
“Hazel, as a matter of fact, bore a strong resemblance to the Handicapper General, a woman named Diana Moon Glampers. ‘If I was Diana Moon Glampers,’ said Hazel, ‘I’d have chimes on Sunday – just chimes. Kind of in honor of religion.’
‘I could think, if it was just chimes,’ said George” (Vonnegut).
Body paragraph, body paragraph, body paragraph, body paragraph, body paragraph.
Notice that the entire block quote is indented and a new paragraph begins when a new character speaks.