0
Mom4ez Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Some sentence questions on apostrophe use, capitalization, and quotes
I am trying to write a story and have some questions on the above subject. Can someone please tell me correct use?
1. Mama would always tell them, "we will eat what we can and what we can't, we'll can!"
Is the "we" in "we will eat . . ." capitalized? I thought it would not be since it is a quote within a sentence.
2. She was especially interested in his tales about the Mormons. (Is it Mormons or Mormon's?)
I thought it was Mormons with no apostrophe because one could substitute Americans and it is not.
3. Her mother would say, "a place for everything, and everything in its place." (Again, is a capitalized?) I think not.
4. "My dear Zola, repeat after me, 'I Zola take you Tru to be my husband.'" (Are the quotes correct in this sentence? The single quotes around what Tru is asking Zola to say, or do I need them at all? I initially thought so, but since she is not actually saying it, I am beginning to doubt it.
5. He was the one who would take them away from The Ridge to a wonderful land of milk and honey.(Is milk and honey capitalized? I initially did not, but now I am not sure.
6. It was in this profession that he met Margaret Rose Reese when the Reese's posed for a family portrait. (Is Reese's correct or is it Reeses?) I think it is plain Reeses as it is not shoing possession.
7. Hannah was as puzzled as her folks were. (Can I omit "were"--my grammar check is saying to add it.) I thought it was fine without were.
8. She called the next morning before Zola left her parents' house. (Is it parents' or parent's?) Since it is both her parents, plural, I thought the apostrophe goes after--parents'
9. If anyone was to blame, it was he. (Is it he or him?) Since it reflects back to the subject, I thought it was he.
10. "I simply refused to go to the cellar. I told Mama, 'if it is safe enough for Papa, it is safe enough for me.'" (Are these quotes and single quotes correct? is the "if" capitalized? Since she is talking and saying what she told another person, I thought the quotes were correct.
11. I bought flowers at the local farmer's market. (is it farmer's or farmers' market?) probably same as parent's or parents' It is many farmers showing at the market, so I am not sure.
Thank you for your help. I have been trying to find these answers in my grammar book, but am still unclear.
1. Mama would always tell them, "we will eat what we can and what we can't, we'll can!"
Is the "we" in "we will eat . . ." capitalized? I thought it would not be since it is a quote within a sentence.
2. She was especially interested in his tales about the Mormons. (Is it Mormons or Mormon's?)
I thought it was Mormons with no apostrophe because one could substitute Americans and it is not.
3. Her mother would say, "a place for everything, and everything in its place." (Again, is a capitalized?) I think not.
4. "My dear Zola, repeat after me, 'I Zola take you Tru to be my husband.'" (Are the quotes correct in this sentence? The single quotes around what Tru is asking Zola to say, or do I need them at all? I initially thought so, but since she is not actually saying it, I am beginning to doubt it.
5. He was the one who would take them away from The Ridge to a wonderful land of milk and honey.(Is milk and honey capitalized? I initially did not, but now I am not sure.
6. It was in this profession that he met Margaret Rose Reese when the Reese's posed for a family portrait. (Is Reese's correct or is it Reeses?) I think it is plain Reeses as it is not shoing possession.
7. Hannah was as puzzled as her folks were. (Can I omit "were"--my grammar check is saying to add it.) I thought it was fine without were.
8. She called the next morning before Zola left her parents' house. (Is it parents' or parent's?) Since it is both her parents, plural, I thought the apostrophe goes after--parents'
9. If anyone was to blame, it was he. (Is it he or him?) Since it reflects back to the subject, I thought it was he.
10. "I simply refused to go to the cellar. I told Mama, 'if it is safe enough for Papa, it is safe enough for me.'" (Are these quotes and single quotes correct? is the "if" capitalized? Since she is talking and saying what she told another person, I thought the quotes were correct.
11. I bought flowers at the local farmer's market. (is it farmer's or farmers' market?) probably same as parent's or parents' It is many farmers showing at the market, so I am not sure.
Thank you for your help. I have been trying to find these answers in my grammar book, but am still unclear.
Top answer
1-- Capitalize; if the quotation is set off syntactically from the matrix text by a comma, semicolon, or colon, the first word is capitalized, irrespective of its status in the original text. 2-- Mormons ; no apostrophe 3-- Capitalize as in #1 4-- She is saying it. BrE (I believe) would put the period outside the closing quotation marks.
- 1-- Capitalize; if the quotation is set off syntactically from the matrix text by a comma, semicolon, or colon, the first word is capitalized, irrespective of its status in the original text.
- 2-- Mormons ; no apostrophe 3-- Capitalize as in #1 4-- She is saying it.
- BrE (I believe) would put the period outside the closing quotation marks.
- ) 5-- No capitalization.
- Both forms exist, but since you have prefaced the phrase with the indefinite article, it is not Paradise per se you are speaking of.
Get the Weekly English Kit 📬
New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.
2 Answers
0
1-- Capitalize; if the quotation is set off syntactically from the matrix text by a comma, semicolon, or colon, the first word is capitalized, irrespective of its status in the original text.
2-- Mormons; no apostrophe
3-- Capitalize as in #1
4-- She is saying it. BrE (I believe) would put the period outside the closing quotation marks. (And I would put a space bet
2-- Mormons; no apostrophe
3-- Capitalize as in #1
4-- She is saying it. BrE (I believe) would put the period outside the closing quotation marks. (And I would put a space bet
00
#9 I'd keep it was. Anyone is a singular pronoun. According to American Heritage Dictionary "Anyone and anybody are singular terms and always take a singular verb." And I'd keep it he - though agree that him is acceptable -in informal writings.
0
Related Questions