Grammar Help - Dumb Question Time

[Atomic]

Okay, so I'm attempting to brush up on a few things before I return to college, but I am left quite confused. So, I will ask a dumb question.

I am very confused by the use of quotation marks. Whether the quotation is single or double, and whether punctuation goes inside or outside. Sometimes, I've seen fullstops used inside, and then outside right after each other.

I think a lot of confusion comes from US literature over here and that's what I read a lot. However, I am on two English educational sites and they are saying the complete opposite.

I was lead to believe that we use double quotation marks for direct quotes. If the quote was text, for example, and it had a full stop in it then I copy that in the quote. Use the double speech mark to close, and then I add another full stop ofter. Sort of like this: "...and end.".

I was lead also to believe that single quotation marks or inverted commas are to be used in cases of titles of books or films, and even in think that may not be true. e.g my friend saw a 'ghost'.

However, how about if am quoting say a public speaker who says something like,"Hello, this is a quote". If I was ending the sentence would the full stop go inside or outside the quotes, or if it was part of a sentence and needed to use a comma would that go inside or outside quotes.

 

[cm1179]

is this for uni work? if so, are you not supposed to use the harvard method for referencing?

 

[knowlton]

is this for uni work? if so, are you not supposed to use the harvard method for referencing?

Depends - even at my uni, each course commanded a different referencing system..

 

[knowlton]

Okay, so I'm attempting to brush up on a few things before I return to college, but I am left quite confused. So, I will ask a dumb question.

I am very confused by the use of quotation marks. Whether the quotation is single or double, and whether punctuation goes inside or outside. Sometimes, I've seen fullstops used inside, and then outside right after each other.

I think a lot of confusion comes from US literature over here and that's what I read a lot. However, I am on two English educational sites and they are saying the complete opposite.

I was lead to believe that we use double quotation marks for direct quotes. If the quote was text, for example, and it had a full stop in it then I copy that in the quote. Use the double speech mark to close, and then I add another full stop ofter. Sort of like this: "...and end.".

I was lead also to believe that single quotation marks or inverted commas are to be used in cases of titles of books or films, and even in think that may not be true. e.g my friend saw a 'ghost'.

However, how about if am quoting say a public speaker who says something like,"Hello, this is a quote". If I was ending the sentence would the full stop go inside or outside the quotes, or if it was part of a sentence and needed to use a comma would that go inside or outside quotes.

You are indeed correct, double quotes relate to speech. Single quotes are used in narrative..

Personally, I emphasised the case of films or books with italics if that helps?

 

[jak731]

I don't think there is a right or wrong way per se, but being consistent is important.

 

[Atomic]

You are indeed correct, double quotes relate to speech. Single quotes are used in narrative..

Personally, I emphasised the case of films or books with italics if that helps?

I thought so, but I think with single quotation it would make the thing stand out rarther than italics. But that's just me.

Also with single quotation marks for titles. I assume that's for literature, movies etc etc?

 

[Archy]

Mind if I intrude on this thread? It is still grammar related but not worthy of a seperate thread I don't think!

When putting a caption under a picture of a friend and myself, is it gramatically correct to say 'Dave and I' or 'Dave and me'? (Personally I was always taught 'I')

 

[Morbius]

When putting a caption under a picture of a friend and myself, is it gramatically correct to say 'Dave and I' or 'Dave and me'? (Personally I was always taught 'I')

I'd say it ought to be 'Dave and me'. You wouldn't say "This is a picture of I".

 

[Edrof]

Mind if I intrude on this thread? It is still grammar related but not worthy of a seperate thread I don't think!

When putting a caption under a picture of a friend and myself, is it gramatically correct to say 'Dave and I' or 'Dave and me'? (Personally I was always taught 'I')

Like you, I was always taught "Dave and I" at school. If it's an informal caption (such as those found on sites like Facebook) then by all means use 'me' - besides, it sounds more natural to most people due to its widespread usage, whether incorrect or not.

 

[mothermachine]

It's "quotation", by the way. You can quote somebody by giving a quotation. You can ask a car dealer for a quotation and then quote that quotation to someone else.

And yes, it's "Dave and me", for the reason Morbius stated.

 

[mrk]

I'd say it ought to be 'Dave and me'. You wouldn't say "This is a picture of I".

The correct term is I I thought (and was taught) in this context. Me is used for other contexts.


Just Googled:
http://oxforddictionaries.com/page/grammartipiorme

 

[mothermachine]

Like you, I was always taught "Dave and I" at school. If it's an informal caption (such as those found on sites like Facebook) then by all means use 'me' - besides, it sounds more natural to most people due to its widespread usage, whether incorrect or not.

Ew. It's wrong. Please don't encourage people to say this. Even on Facebook...

It's always "This is Dave and me". Or "Dave and I went shopping". "I went shopping with Dave". "Dave and me? Yes, we went shopping".

 

[Morbius]

Like you, I was always taught "Dave and I" at school. If it's an informal caption (such as those found on sites like Facebook) then by all means use 'me' - besides, it sounds more natural to most people due to its widespread usage, whether incorrect or not.

The trouble is, kids tend to use "me" when they should be using "I", so schools reinforce the use of "I" to the point where said kids become adults that use "I" when they should be using "me".

 

[mothermachine]

The correct term is I I thought (and was taught) in this context. Me is used for other contexts.


Just Googled:
http://oxforddictionaries.com/page/grammartipiorme

Nope. Because what you're saying here is:

"This is a photo of me and Dave". You don't say "This is a photo of I and Dave". So it's "Dave and me" or "Me and Dave".

 

[Morbius]

You don't say "This is a photo of I and Dave".

Not unless you're speaking some form of creole.

 

[mothermachine]

The trouble is, kids tend to use "me" when they should be using "I", so schools reinforce the use of "I" to the point where said kids become adults that use "I" when they should be using "me".

This. The Police and other "official" types do this all the time to sound more intelligent/posh. Ironically they just make themselves sound daft. People have confused themselves over it.

It's so easy, really - just remove the other person from the sentence and if it still makes sense then it's ok, if not then change it.

"Me went to the supermarket..." No. "I went to the supermarket". Yes. So it's "Dave and I went to the supermarket".

 

[Meridian]

Okay, so I'm attempting to brush up on a few things before I return to college, but I am left quite confused. So, I will ask a dumb question.

I am very confused by the use of quotation marks. Whether the quotation is single or double, and whether punctuation goes inside or outside. Sometimes, I've seen fullstops used inside, and then outside right after each other.

I think a lot of confusion comes from US literature over here and that's what I read a lot. However, I am on two English educational sites and they are saying the complete opposite.

I was lead to believe that we use double quotation marks for direct quotes. If the quote was text, for example, and it had a full stop in it then I copy that in the quote. Use the double speech mark to close, and then I add another full stop ofter. Sort of like this: "...and end.".

I was lead also to believe that single quotation marks or inverted commas are to be used in cases of titles of books or films, and even in think that may not be true. e.g my friend saw a 'ghost'.

However, how about if am quoting say a public speaker who says something like,"Hello, this is a quote". If I was ending the sentence would the full stop go inside or outside the quotes, or if it was part of a sentence and needed to use a comma would that go inside or outside quotes.

The use of single and double quote marks is, AFAIK, a convention not a rule. And yes, that convention is as stated: quotations go in double, speak goes in single, proper names (of films etc) go in double.

As for punctuation, it is always one or the other, but never both. In general, if the quotation in the marks is complete, and the end of the sentence, the full stop stays inside the quote marks. Otherwise it goes outside.


M

 

[Glaucus]

If I want to say something like Toms book. What happens when the name ends in a s? Like Chris, would it be Chris' book or what?

 

[mrk]

That is correct

 

[pepp77]

If I want to say something like Toms book. What happens when the name ends in a s? Like Chris, would it be Chris' book or what?

Yes it would be Chris' book.