Y05W34GR Introducing short quotes (basics)
Introducing short quotes (basics)
When writing refers to what someone said or wrote, the exact words need to be set apart using quotation marks and introduced with a reporting clause. Getting this punctuation right makes it clear to the reader where the quote begins and ends, and who said it. These skills are used in recounts, reports, and any writing that draws on what others have said.
- What a reporting clause is and how it introduces a quote
- Where to place punctuation when using quotation marks
- How to check that a quoted sentence is correctly set up
- Quotation marks — punctuation marks (" ") placed around the exact words someone said or wrote. Australian English uses double quotation marks.
- Reporting clause — the part of the sentence that introduces the quote, usually naming who spoke and the verb of speaking. For example, The coach said or Maya announced.
- Reporting verb — the verb inside the reporting clause that shows how something was said. Common examples include said, asked, replied and explained.
- Comma before the quote — when the reporting clause comes first, a comma separates it from the opening quotation mark.
How it works
1The reporting clause comes first
The most common way to introduce a quote is to place the reporting clause before the quoted words. This tells the reader who is speaking before they read the words.
- Structure — write the reporting clause, place a comma, open the quotation marks, write the exact words, then close the quotation marks with the full stop inside. For example, The teacher said, "Please sit down."
- Capital letter — the first word inside the quotation marks always starts with a capital letter, even mid-sentence. For example, Liam shouted, "Over here!"
- Reporting verb — choose a verb that matches how the words were delivered. For example, whispered, announced and replied each give the reader a different picture.
2Punctuation inside the quotation marks
All end punctuation — full stops, question marks and exclamation marks — sits inside the closing quotation mark. This is a firm rule in Australian English.
- Full stop inside — the sentence ends inside the quote, not after the closing mark. For example, She said, "The canteen is closed today." — the full stop sits before the closing mark.
- Question mark inside — when the quote is a question, the question mark replaces the full stop and stays inside. For example, He asked, "Is training cancelled?"
- No double punctuation — when a question mark or exclamation mark is already inside the quote, no further full stop is added after the closing mark.
3Checking a quote is set up correctly
A correctly introduced quote has three parts working together: the reporting clause, the comma, and the quoted words in quotation marks. Checking each part prevents the most common errors.
- Missing comma — forgetting the comma between the reporting clause and the quote is the most common mistake. For example, She said "Let's go" is missing the comma after said.
- Missing quotation marks — without quotation marks, the reader cannot tell which words are the exact quote. For example, He replied it was fine gives no signal that these are someone's actual words.
See it in action
Missing comma after the reporting clause
The coach said "Great effort today, everyone."
The coach said, "Great effort today, everyone."
Adding the comma after said correctly separates the reporting clause from the quoted words.
Full stop placed outside the quotation marks
Maya announced, "The results are up".
Maya announced, "The results are up."
The full stop belongs inside the closing quotation mark in Australian English conventions.
Missing quotation marks around the spoken words
Liam replied that he would be there at lunch.
Liam replied, "I'll be there at lunch."
Adding quotation marks and adjusting to the speaker's exact words makes it clear this is a direct quote, not a paraphrase.
- A reporting clause names the speaker and the reporting verb, and comes before the quote.
- A comma separates the reporting clause from the opening quotation mark.
- Quotation marks go around the exact words spoken or written.
- All end punctuation — full stops, question marks and exclamation marks — sits inside the closing quotation mark.
- The first word inside quotation marks always begins with a capital letter.
- quotation marks(n.) punctuation marks (" ") used to enclose the exact words someone said — in She said, "Come in," the quotation marks show which words were spoken.
- reporting clause(n.) the part of a sentence that introduces a quote by naming the speaker and verb — in The coach explained, "We leave at eight," the reporting clause is The coach explained.
- reporting verb(n.) the verb in a reporting clause that shows how something was said — whispered, announced and asked are all reporting verbs.
- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
- Opens in a new window.