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MFG Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Please settle dispute
Please settle debate. In British punctuation, are these correct?
"I", Mike said, "am going to scold her for that."
-->The comma is outside (after "I") because it is not part of the original quotation at that point in the sentence. Is this correct reasoning?
"I will not tolerate her disrespectful behavior", Mike said. --> Again, comma goes outside the ending quotes because it is not part of the originally quoted material.
"I will go," Mike said, "but she has to behave." --> Comma goes inside the introductory quote because it belongs there in the original quoted sentence. It is separating two independent clauses separated by the conjunction "but".
‘‘The steps were very difficult”, he said. ‘‘But most things are difficult for me.’’
-->Same logic. Comma goes outside.
Am I correct with these?
"I", Mike said, "am going to scold her for that."
-->The comma is outside (after "I") because it is not part of the original quotation at that point in the sentence. Is this correct reasoning?
"I will not tolerate her disrespectful behavior", Mike said. --> Again, comma goes outside the ending quotes because it is not part of the originally quoted material.
"I will go," Mike said, "but she has to behave." --> Comma goes inside the introductory quote because it belongs there in the original quoted sentence. It is separating two independent clauses separated by the conjunction "but".
‘‘The steps were very difficult”, he said. ‘‘But most things are difficult for me.’’
-->Same logic. Comma goes outside.
Am I correct with these?
Top answer
The comma always goes inside.
- The comma always goes inside.
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17 Answers
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In British English, I thought they went outside. Thank you Mister Micawber for clarifying.
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MFGIn British English, I thought they went outside.My understanding that the rule on commas is the same, though those for other punctuation marks differ.
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Oh Okay then.. So the British place full stops inside like this too?
I resented she for calling me a "womanizing philanderer."
I resented she for calling me a "womanizing philanderer."
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And also in British English the commas would go inside like this too? They must have changed rules...
The words "fight," "knight," "plight," and "right" all rhymes.
The words "fight," "knight," "plight," and "right" all rhymes.
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So do the commas go inside those examples because commas always go inside in British English? I thought it would be: - The words "fight", "knight", "plight", and "right" all rhymes.
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'I resented her for calling me a womanizing philanderer'.
The words 'fight', 'knight', 'plight' and 'right' all rhyme.
The words 'fight', 'knight', 'plight' and 'right' all rhyme.
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I found this example in a British novel called 'Vernon *** Little'.
'No,' they say.
So the full stop goes inside I think as mister Micawber says.
'No,' they say.
So the full stop goes inside I think as mister Micawber says.
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Avangi supplied this link on a different, but related, post. It shows the differences in punctuation between BrE and AmE with respect to quotations.
http://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/quotation_(speech)_marks_punctuation_in_or_out.htm
http://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/quotation_(speech)_marks_punctuation_in_or_out.htm
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