![]() If you're uncertain who your audience will be, then a good general rule is to always place your commas inside of quotes. ![]() Most style guides, such as the Modern Language Association (MLA), Associated Press (AP), and The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago) suggest the American rule. The same rules apply to both double quotation marks and single quotation marks. “I’m going to the store”, said my sister. British style guides allow commas after quotation marks. In British English, you can choose where the comma goes. “I’m going to the store,” said my sister. That means the comma should always come right before the closing quotation mark, even if it’s not part of the quoted material. In American English, you should always place a comma or period inside the quotation marks. Conclusion on Where to Place Commas in Quotationsĭoes the Comma Go Before or After the Closing Quotation Mark?.Examples of Commas With Quotation Marks From Literature.Examples of Correct Comma Placement in Double Quotation Marks.Does the Comma Go Before or After the Closing Quotation Mark?.A professional editor should amend with this in mind. There are no rules that can be applied universally. So I wouldn’t recommend excluding exclamation marks but if I were editing this I wouldn’t automatically include them. The choice of punctuation moderates tone and the helps the reader pause (or not). The fifth has pause but it’s not as heavy as the in the second example. The fourth is also fluid but flatter perhaps she’s a little in awe or shock. Certainly, the tone is a tad more contemplative. The second is also staccato and holds a sense of surprise, perhaps even a little contemplation. The first is more staccato and excitable. So the following are all grammatically sound but convey a slightly different mood and have a different flow. Fiction doesn’t bend well to prescriptivism in my opinion. It depends on the rhythm of each sentence in relation to the scene too. If the words themselves are enough to give the flavour of the mood, the mark could be overkill. I would err on the side of caution when using exclamation marks. ![]()
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