Does Punctuation Go Inside or Outside of Quotation Marks?
Quotation marks might seem like a minor detail, but they play a major role in helping readers understand what’s being said, cited, or shouted in a sentence. Whether you’re presenting character dialogue in a novel or referencing expert insights in an essay, quotation marks and the surrounding punctuation guide the reader through who said what.
But here’s the catch – the rules that dictate whether the punctuation goes inside or outside of quotation marks vary depending on the dialect and the type of quote. In this post, we’ll demystify those differences and show you how to punctuate like a pro.
Dialogue vs. Quoted Material: What’s the Difference?
Before we dive into the specifics of punctuation, let’s clarify the two main uses of quotation marks:
- Dialogue is spoken words written down, for example, when characters are speaking in novels and short stories.
- Quoted material is when words from a source are being repeated. This might be from a book, newspaper, website, or other work, and it is often found in essays and reports.
The rules for punctuation in and around quotation marks change depending on which of these you’re dealing with. So let’s take a look at each in turn, starting with dialogue.
Quotation Marks in Dialogue
In general, US English uses double quotation marks for dialogue, while UK English uses single quotation marks. This difference is mainly stylistic, and an author can choose which they prefer, but the choice affects how you handle quotes within quotes too – so it’s important to be consistent.
Beyond this, the rules are the same for both UK and US English:
- If the dialogue tag comes before the line of dialogue, use a comma before the opening quotation mark. The punctuation at the end of the dialogue is placed inside the closing quotation mark.
He said, “Let’s leave now.”
She asked, “Where have you been?”
- If the dialogue tag interrupts the sentence, use a comma before the closing quotation mark in the first part, and add another after the dialogue tag. Also, the second part begins with a lowercase letter (unless it begins a new sentence).
“We tried pushing,” she said, “but the door won’t budge.”
- If the dialogue tag comes at the end, use a comma before the closing quotation mark (unless the sentence ends in a question mark or exclamation mark).
“This place gives me the creeps,” Jenna whispered.
- If the dialogue ends with a question mark or exclamation mark, don’t add a comma. Keep the punctuation inside the quotation mark and follow with the dialogue tag as needed.
“Did you lock the door?” she asked.
“That’s amazing!” he exclaimed.
Examples of Dialogue in US English vs. UK English
| US English | UK English |
| Sarah asked, “Have you seen the keys anywhere?” | Sarah asked, ‘Have you seen the keys anywhere?’ |
| “I love rainy days,” Mark said, gazing out the window. | ‘I love rainy days,’ Mark said, gazing out the window. |
| “I know,” he muttered, “but we don’t have another choice.” | ‘I know,’ he muttered, ‘but we don’t have another choice.’ |
Punctuating a Quote Within a Quote in Dialogue
When a quote appears inside a line of dialogue, the rule is to use the opposite style of quotation mark for the inner quote. This is nice and simple to remember for either dialect!
US English: Emma explained, “I heard him say, ‘Meet me at midnight,’ and then he left.”
UK English: Emma explained, ‘I heard him say, “Meet me at midnight,” and then he left.’
Quotation Marks in Quoted Material
Quoted material refers to using another person’s exact words from a source – whether that’s a website, magazine article, study, book, or speech. You’ll often see it in academic writing, for example, in the form of a quote from a historian in a humanities essay or supporting evidence from published research in a scientific paper. These quotations help reinforce the writer’s point or present evidence, but the rules for punctuating them differ depending on the dialect.
Next, we’ll look at how to handle quoted material in both US and UK English – so you can get it right every time.
Punctuating Quoted Material in US English
It’s time to really get into the fine details! Let’s look at each piece of punctuation that might be involved in a quote from a source and how it interacts with the quotation marks.
What to Do with Commas
If the quote is in the middle of a sentence and needs to be followed by a comma, the comma goes inside the closing quotation mark in US English. The sentence then continues after the quote.
The report found that “participants responded well,” especially to visual prompts.
What to Do with Periods
If a quote ends the sentence, the period is placed before the closing quotation mark.
She referred to the policy as “outdated.”
However, there is an exception to the above rule. When a citation follows the quote, place the period after the citation, not before the closing quotation mark.
She referred to the policy as “outdated” (Jones, 2023). ✔
She referred to the policy as “outdated.” (Jones, 2023). ✘
What to Do with Question Marks
If the question mark is part of the original quote, it goes inside the quotation mark. If the question mark is not part of the quote (i.e., it concludes the sentence), it goes outside.
As the author asks, “Can you have too many references?”
This writer wants to pose the question of how many is “too many references”?
What to Do with Colons and Semicolons
When a quote is followed by a colon or semicolon, the punctuation goes outside the closing quotation mark.
The review stated the film was “emotionally powerful”; audiences agreed.
What to Do with Quotes Within Quotes
In US English, use single quotation marks for a quote that appears inside another quote.
The researcher concluded, “Participants described the experience as ‘deeply transformative’ during follow-up interviews.”
Punctuating Quoted Material in UK English
The key difference between US and UK English is that punctuation generally goes inside the quotation marks in US English but outside them in UK English. You can think of it this way – in UK English, the sentence punctuation remains in the possession of the sentence (rather than being absorbed by the quote as it is in US English).
This means that the list of variations and examples is shorter for UK English!
What to Do with Commas
In UK English, when a quote is followed by a comma, the comma goes after the closing quotation mark.
The report found that ‘participants responded well’, especially to visual prompts.
What to Do with Periods
When a quote ends a sentence and the period is not part of the original quote, the period is placed outside the quotation mark.
She referred to the policy as ‘outdated’.
However, if the quote is itself a complete sentence ending in a period, and it comes at the end of the sentence, the period belongs inside the closing quotation mark. Note that there are a couple of punctuation options for presenting a quote that’s a complete sentence.
Researchers concluded that ‘this evidence definitively proves the hypothesis.’
Researchers agreed on a conclusion: ‘This evidence definitively proves the hypothesis.’
What to Do with Question Marks
If the question mark is not part of the quote, it goes outside the quotation marks. But if it’s part of the original material, it stays inside.
As the author asks, ‘Can you have too many references?’
This writer wants to pose the question of how many is ’too many references’?
What to Do with Quotes Within Quotes
Finally, UK English uses double quotation marks when something is quoted within a quote.
The researcher concluded, ‘Participants described the experience as “deeply transformative” during follow-up interviews.’
US vs. UK English Quotation Punctuation Comparison
Now you’re familiar with the rules, let’s look at some examples side-by-side to illustrate the key differences between the two dialects.
| US English | UK English |
| She claimed that she “worked there for a year,” but no one has been able to prove it. | She claimed that she ‘worked there for a year’, but no one has been able to prove it. |
| The researcher explained that the study structure was “fundamentally flawed.” | The researcher explained that the study structure was ‘fundamentally flawed’. |
| Smith explains, “young people may fall into the ’selfie obsession’ trap” at times. | Smith explains, ‘young people may fall into the “selfie obsession” trap’ at times. |
Perfect Your Punctuation
It may seem like there are lots of rules and variations, but once you understand the basics, applying the correct punctuation becomes second nature. And these little marks ensure clarity in writing – so it pays to get them right!
Want to keep sharpening your proofreading skills? Our Becoming A Proofreader course covers everything from punctuation errors to common citation styles – and includes plenty of practical examples to cement your understanding.
Try two free lessons today, and take the first step toward becoming a confident, certified proofreader. You’ll never look at a quotation mark the same way again.
Updated on April 2, 2025
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