How do quotation marks function in dialogue and indirect quotes?

How do quotation marks function in dialogue and indirect quotes?

• A. They indicate emphasis only.
• B. They mark titles of shorter works.
• C. They define proper nouns.
• D. Quotation marks denote exact spoken words; indirect quotes paraphrase what was said.

Answer: (D)

Quotation marks are used to show the exact words spoken in dialogue, letting the reader hear the character’s voice as it was spoken. When a character speaks, the spoken sentence is placed inside quotation marks, and you usually start a new paragraph for a new speaker to keep the dialogue clear. For indirect quotes, you report what was said without repeating the exact wording, so no quotation marks are used. You might say, for example, He said that he was tired, or He explained that he was tired after the long day. You still attribute the statement to the speaker with a verb like said or explained. The other options describe uses that aren’t about presenting spoken words or paraphrase, such as emphasizing text, marking titles, or identifying proper nouns.

Quotation marks are used to show the exact words spoken in dialogue, letting the reader hear the character’s voice as it was spoken. When a character speaks, the spoken sentence is placed inside quotation marks, and you usually start a new paragraph for a new speaker to keep the dialogue clear. For indirect quotes, you report what was said without repeating the exact wording, so no quotation marks are used. You might say, for example, He said that he was tired, or He explained that he was tired after the long day. You still attribute the statement to the speaker with a verb like said or explained. The other options describe uses that aren’t about presenting spoken words or paraphrase, such as emphasizing text, marking titles, or identifying proper nouns.