1. How to Use Quotation Marks
Use quotation marks to enclose a direct quotation---a persons exact words!
Sally said, “Write a story about Thanksgiving Day.”

2. Dialogue A speakers exact words.
A conversation between two or more speakers.
When you change speakers indent a new paragraph.

3. A direct quotation begins with a capital letter, but…
When the expression identifying the speaker interrupts a quoted sentence, the second part of the quotation begins with a small letter.

4. Example:
“Lightning has always awed people,” explained Mrs. Worthington, “and many of us are still frightened by it.”
“The time has come,” insisted the speaker, “to improve our educational program.

5. A period or comma should always be placed inside the closing quotation marks.
A question mark or an exclamation point should be placed inside the closing quotation marks when the quotation itself is a question or an exclamation. Otherwise, it should be placed outside.

6. Example:
“How far have we come?” asked the exhausted man.(the quotation is a question)
Who said, “Give me liberty or give me death”?(the sentence, not the quotation, is a question)

7. Introductory vs. Concluding Quotes
An Introductory Quote is when a quote is at the beginning of a sentence.
A Concluding Quote is when a quote is at the end if a sentence.

8. Example:
“The sky is beautiful tonight,” said Mrs. Duke. (Introductory quote)
Mrs. Duke exclaimed, “The sky is beautiful tonight.” (Concluding Quote)