Are periods supposed to go inside the quotes?

Answer by  Ana (28)

Yes! Actually, this rule works for all punctuation, not just periods -- commas, exclamation or question marks, any phrase-ending punctuation you encounter. Include in quotes any punctuation that accompanies the quoted material, like dashes or ellipses... Some examples: John wanted the "soup du jour." "I don't understand," she exclaimed, "who's invited?" Kitty yelled, "Hello!" "Et tu, Brute?" (Shakespeare).

Answer by  DanielleK (535)

For MLA style format, a period is left off inside the quote and placed at the end of the entire sentence or citation. The exception to this rule is when mutiple sentences are placed within the qoutations in which you punctuate the sentence normally until the last sentence and then leave that period mark off.

Answer by  pinkie (247)

That depends. If the quotation is a sentence, then the period should be inside the quotation marks. However, if the quote is a phrase then the period should be outside the quotation mark. Simply put, just ask yourself -- is the period for the quote or for the main sentence? This should help guide you.

Answer by  crazycool (145)

Yes, put them inside the quotes. The same rule applies for all periods, commas, question marks, and exclamation points. This is because the mark is considered a part of the sentence being quoted, so you don't break the quote until the sentence is fully finished. Hope this helps! Good luck