It can be rather difficult to decipher quotation marks. Many of us find it confusing with regards to double or single quotations marks and when and how to use them and not only that - there are differences between British and American English. On top of that, there is punctuation to consider. Where do the commas and full stops go in relation to the quotation marks? Well, this article will clear up the confusion! Here are the rules and a few examples of how to use the quotations within quotations.

Rule 1

British English

You should use double quotation marks inside single marks when you place a quotation within a quotation, for example, when you are quoting what someone has said:

John said, 'Jane told me, "I don't love you anymore".'

Notice that what Jane said is enclosed in double quote marks and the full stop is placed between the two sets of quotation marks.

American English

John said, "Jane told me, 'I don't love you anymore.'"

Note in American English, that what Jane said is enclosed in single quote marks and the period is placed before the two sets of quotation marks.

Rule 2

Unlike full stops/periods, quotation marks and question marks follow a more logical placement in a sentence. If the quotation inside the quotation is an exclamation or a question, you must place the exclamation or question mark inside all the quotes marks, whether they are double or single.

Jane said, 'John said to me, "Why don't you love me anymore?"' (British English)
Jane said, "John said to me, 'Why don't you love me anymore?'" (American English)
Jane said, 'John shouted, "I hate you!"' (British English)
Jane said, "John shouted, 'I hate you!'" (American English)

Rule 3

British English

If the question asked is inside the single quote marks, you need to place the question mark between the double and single quotation marks:

Jean asked, 'Did John really say "I hate you!"?'

American English

The question mark needs to be placed between the single and double quotes:

Jean asked, "Did John really say, 'I hate you!'?"

So, these are the three rules to follow when writing quotations within quotations. British and American English are equally correct. When choosing one version, remember to be consistent and not "blend" the two together as this can look strange and perhaps confuse your reader. Remember that clarity is the key!

KJ Hutchings is the owner of KJ Language Services, providing proofreading, editing and writing services to businesses and students, in particular those who use English as a second language. For more information, visit her site at: http://www.kjlanguageservices.com/