infographic, language, punctuation:

Single quotation marks? Double quotation marks? They can seem intimidating, but when the purpose of quotation marks is understood, the rules are easier to follow.

The Use of Quotation Marks
Quotation marks set apart statements or words, adding a loud emphasis to whatever they surround. The most basic rule is that a quotation must be ended once it is started. If the end of a paragraph is reached, no end quotation mark is used if the quotation continues, but another at the beginning of the following paragraph indicates the continuation.

“When the men reached the shore, they tied their boats to the bushes. After a short rest, they began unloading their fishing gear.

“Back at the camp, their sons were lighting a campfire to cook the fish they knew the men would bring.”

Speech and Source Quotations
When indicating dialogue or quoting written words, use quotation marks. When the source/speaker of the quote is named within the same sentence, commas are required.

The manual listed the steps. “Unplug the machine, then remove the screws.” Bill…