When do you use quotation marks, how many, and where? Forget the “rules” you were fed in school. Many options are available to suit the inventive writer.
Standard/Normal/Ho-hum maybe:
Double quote-dialog-double unquote — “What do you mean, choice?” you ask. (New paragraph) “You have options,” I say.
Standard/Normal/Ho-hum quote within a quote — “Someone will tell you ‘Listen to me,’ and you have to listen.’’
Standard/Normal/Ho-hum quote that is not dialog — The word you want is “choice”. (punctuation outside the mark)
British/Normal/Ho-hum:
Single quote-dialog-single unquote — ‘You Brits do it this way.’ (New paragraph) ‘Yes. Neah, neah, neah, U.S.’
Creative:
Eliminate quotation marks — What do you mean, choice? I'm suggesting options to you.
Creative:
(You decide how to handle dialog quotations. I’m waiting to hear your ideas.)
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