Quotation marks
Hi Everyone,
When I used to work as a corporate trainer teaching natives how to write in 'plain English', I was (to my surprise) teaching people to use a single quotation mark for direct quotes, and double when you have a quote within a quote. For example:
Jane said, 'I couldn't believe my ears when I heard Bill say, "you need to change your ways". This really surprised me'.
I left this job a few years ago, but the topic comes up every now and again. This notion of single and not double quotation marks surprises many people. How accurate is this rule? The man who owned the company I worked at told me that the single quotation marks is current.
What do others think?
Thanks
CC 
Top answer
Cup cake How accurate is this rule? ) Cup cake The man who owned the company I worked at told me that the single quotation marks is current. When not dealing with quotes within quotes, the single marks are common informally nowadays: Jane said, 'I couldn't believe my ears.
- Cup cake How accurate is this rule?
- ) Cup cake The man who owned the company I worked at told me that the single quotation marks is current.
- When not dealing with quotes within quotes, the single marks are common informally nowadays: Jane said, 'I couldn't believe my ears.
- )
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Cup cake How accurate is this rule?
It is usually the other way around for formal composition:
Jane said, "I couldn't believe my ears when I heard Bill say, 'You need to change your ways.' This really surpr
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