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Anonymous Posted 19 years ago
Grammar
Question Regardig Quotes
Hi
Can someone please help me. I'm trying to figure out the correct way of typing this:
She asked us: what do we think?
She asked us, "What do we think?"
I want to use the quotes but keep telling myself, it's not really a quote since it doesn't read, "What do you think?"
Can someone please tell me the correct way of doing this? Thank you so much!
Can someone please help me. I'm trying to figure out the correct way of typing this:
She asked us: what do we think?
She asked us, "What do we think?"
I want to use the quotes but keep telling myself, it's not really a quote since it doesn't read, "What do you think?"
Can someone please tell me the correct way of doing this? Thank you so much!
Top answer
Hi, Can someone please help me. I'm trying to figure out the correct way of typing this: She asked us: what do we think? " If you want to use quotation marks, you need to quote something.
- Hi, Can someone please help me.
- I'm trying to figure out the correct way of typing this: She asked us: what do we think?
- " If you want to use quotation marks, you need to quote something.
- " Indirect speech - She asked us what we thought.
- You need to choose one or the other.
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5 Answers
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Hi,
Can someone please help me. I'm trying to figure out the correct way of typing this:
She asked us: what do we think?
She asked us, "What do we think?"
I want to use the quotes but keep telling myself, it's not really a quote since it doesn't read, "
Can someone please help me. I'm trying to figure out the correct way of typing this:
She asked us: what do we think?
She asked us, "What do we think?"
I want to use the quotes but keep telling myself, it's not really a quote since it doesn't read, "
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I'm sorry, I didn't express myself correctly. I didn't mean that I literally wanted to use quotes but that I kept wondering if I should use them. Since it's not a direct quote, it looks akward to me.
I'm transcribing dictation and the speaker actually says:
After she showed us around, she asked us: what do we think? Do we like it?
I'm transcribing dictation and the speaker actually says:
After she showed us around, she asked us: what do we think? Do we like it?
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I'm sorry, I'm confused.
You are typing up what someone dictated, and this is what that person said, exactly, in describing an experience in which "she" showed the speaker around? But "she" didn't say "What do we think?" She probably asked the speaker "What do you think?" -- and it's only as this person is describing it [and what you have to transcribe] that it's gotten changed to "what w
You are typing up what someone dictated, and this is what that person said, exactly, in describing an experience in which "she" showed the speaker around? But "she" didn't say "What do we think?" She probably asked the speaker "What do you think?" -- and it's only as this person is describing it [and what you have to transcribe] that it's gotten changed to "what w
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Yep, that's exactly right. The speaker changed it from "you" to "we" which it's why it's so confusing. I wish I could just change it to "What do you think?" but it has to be verbatim. I like the italics idea, but is that proper grammar? I don't know, which is why I'm asking for help
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It's not a matter of grammar, it's a matter of style.
Transcription people probably have their own style for this. People do not speak grammatically, and to speak as though giving a direct quote but actually changing the pronouns is probably not that uncommon.
The two primary rules of style are 1) be clear, and 2) be consistent. (Since using a completely unique style will
Transcription people probably have their own style for this. People do not speak grammatically, and to speak as though giving a direct quote but actually changing the pronouns is probably not that uncommon.
The two primary rules of style are 1) be clear, and 2) be consistent. (Since using a completely unique style will
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