Table of Contents
Do periods go inside quotation marks at the end of a sentence?
Sentence-ending punctuation is a whole different story. In the United States, the rule of thumb is that commas and periods always go inside the quotation marks, and colons and semicolons (dashes as well) go outside: “There was a storm last night,” Paul said. Peter, however, didn’t believe him.
Does the period go after the quotation marks in Canada?
Again, in Canada the American style predominates: periods and commas go inside closing quotation marks; all other marks go inside if they belong with the quoted material, outside if they don’t. Colons and semicolons deserve a special mention. Such punctuation (usually a comma) always goes inside.
Does the period go inside or outside the quotation marks MLA?
The MLA Handbook notes, “By convention, commas and periods that directly follow quotations go inside the closing quotation marks” (267). Thus, in the following sentence, the comma is placed after taught: “You’ve got to be carefully taught,” wrote Oscar Hammerstein II.
Does a period ever go outside quotations?
Put commas and periods within quotation marks, except when a parenthetical reference follows. Place the punctuation outside the closing quotation marks if the punctuation applies to the whole sentence.
Does period go before or after quotes?
Punctuating Around Quotation Marks
| Punctuation mark | In relation to closing quotation mark, place it… | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Period | Inside | |
| Comma | Inside | |
| Parentheses | Outside | See more examples of how to cite direct quotations here. |
| Semi-colon | Outside |
Is the period before or after the citation?
Citation follows the quotation marks; period follows the citation. Note: The MLA Handbook recommends the use of Arabic numerals rather than Roman numerals for designating acts and scenes in plays.
Where does the period go in a quote MLA?
At the end of the quote put the period after the last word of the sentence followed by the parentheses. **Note that the punctuation for the sentence goes AFTER the parenthesis.
Does the period go inside or outside the parentheses?
The period is a strong punctuation mark—think of it as controlling the action in the sentence, which occurs outside the parentheses. 2. When a whole sentence falls inside parentheses, the period goes inside.