SAT Writing › Correcting Quotation Mark Errors
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices repreoduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The teacher said, everyone needs to turn their homework in on time, or they will not receive full credit."
The teacher said, "Everyone needs to turn their homework in on time, or they will not receive full credit."
The teacher said, everyone needs to turn their homework in on time, or they will not receive full credit."
The teacher said everyone needs to turn their homework in on time, or they will not receive full credit."
The teacher said, "everyone needs to turn their homework in on time, or they will not receive full credit."
The teacher said, "everyone needs to turn their homework in on time, or they will not receive full credit.
Quotation marks should always precede the first word of the quote, and follow the final punctuation mark of the quote; therefore, the best way to write the sentence above is "The teacher said, 'Everyone needs to turn their homework in on time, or they will not receive full credit.'"
Choose the answer below which best replaces the underlined section of the following sentence. This should result in a sentence that meets all of the rules of standard written English.
Mr. Jackson asked the clerk where is the nearest gas station?
Mr. Jackson asked the clerk, "Where is the nearest gas station?"
Mr. Jackson asked the clerk, Where is the nearest gas station?"
Mr. Jackson asked the clerk, "Where is the nearest gas station?
Mr. Jackson asked the clerk, "Where is the nearest gas station"?
Mr. Jackson asked the clerk where is the nearest gas station?
Quotation marks should always precede the first word of the quote, and follow the final punctuation mark of the quote; therefore, the best way to write the sentence above is "Mr. Jackson asked the clerk, 'Where is the nearest gas station?'"
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
"Oh, I don't really like the way Tom's been behaving, she sighed. "I wish he would grow up."
"Oh, I don't really like the way Tom's been behaving," she sighed.
"Oh, I don't really like the way Tom's been behaving", she sighed.
"Oh, I don't really like the way Tom's been behaving, she sighed.
Oh, I don't really like the way Tom's been behaving, she sighed.
"Oh, I don't really like the way Tom's been behaving, she sighed!"
With quotation marks, you want to place them before the first word of the quotation, and then immediately after the final punctuation of the quotation. Therefore, the best way to construct the phrase in the first part of the sentence is "'Oh, I don't really like the way Tom's been behaving,' she sighed." Please note that the comma at the end of the phrase "Tom's been behaving," is correctly contained within the quotation marks.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
"I can't go back to him," cried the Baroness. "he's just too dangerous!" No error
"He's just too dangerous!"
No error
"he's just too dangerous!"
'he's just too dangerous!'
He's just too dangerous!"
Ensure that any quotation is surrounded by quotation marks, with the first set preceding the first letter of the first word of the sentence, and the last set following the final punctuation mark of the sentence. In this case, the second quotation is forming a new sentence, and therefore the entire thing needs to be enclosed in quotation marks. Additionally, because there is a period preceding it, and it needs to be treated as its own sentence, therefore it needs to begin with a capital letter. The best answer here is: "He's just too dangerous!"
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Paul said, I hate being stuck out in the woods, it's such a drag. No error
"I hate being stuck out in the woods, it's such a drag."
"I hate being stuck out in the woods, it's such a drag."
I hate being stuck out in the woods, it's such a drag."
"I hate being stuck out in the woods, it's such a drag.
No error
Ensure that any direct quotation is surrounded by quotation marks, with the first set preceding the first letter of the first word of the sentence, and the last set following the final punctuation mark of the sentence. The best way to write the underlined portion of the sentence is: "I hate being stuck out in the woods, it's such a drag." Note that paraphrase (a summary rephrasing that does not feature the exact same words as the original statement) does not require quotation marks (but may require citation in an academic paper).
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
"The phrase is actually count your lucky stars, not count your lucky star," Allan said.
"The phrase is actually 'count your lucky stars,' not 'count your lucky star,'" Allan said.
"The phrase is actually count your lucky stars, not count your lucky star," Allan said.
"The phrase is actually "count your lucky stars," not "count your lucky star,"" Allan said.
"The phrase is actually 'count your lucky stars,' not count your lucky star," Allan said.
"The phrase is actually count your lucky stars, not 'count your lucky star,'" Allan said.
Double quotation marks are normally used around a word or phrase to discuss that word or phrase in speech; however, when such a word or phrase appears in a sentence that is already within double quotation marks (e.g. direct quotes), we offset that word or phrase from the rest of the sentence with single quotation marks. Therefore, both "count your lucky stars" and "count your lucky star" should appear within single quotation marks in the above sentence ('count your lucky stars' and 'count your lucky star').
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
Kenny told us all that "he was sick and couldn't hang out today," but we saw him just a couple of hours later at the movies with Jane.
he was sick and couldn't hang out today,
"he was sick and couldn't hang out today,"
'he was sick and couldn't hang out today,'
"he was sick and couldn't hang out today"
he was sick and couldn't hang out today;
In the sentence above, what Kenny said is an indirect quotation and therefore does not require any quotation marks, double or single.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
The child screamed at the top of her lungs, I hate it here and I want to go home.
The child screamed at the top of her lungs, "I hate it here and I want to go home!"
The child screamed at the top of her lungs: I hate it here and I want to go home.
The child screamed at the top of her lungs, "I hate it here" and I want to go home.
The child screamed at the top of her lungs, "I hate it here and I want to go home"
The child screamed at the top of her lungs, I hate it here and I want to go home.
When quoting speech, the quotation marks should precede the first word of the quotation and also follow the final punctuation of the quotation. Therefore, the correct version of this sentence reads: "The child screamed, at the top of her lungs, 'I hate it here and I want to go home!'" The interrupting phrase "at the top of her lungs" may be confusing, but it does not grammatically alter the sentence.
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
"Richard was right to call and tell us you were throwing a party while we were gone," Mom said, "That's why you're grounded for the rest of the week."
said. "That's why you're grounded for the rest of the week."
said, "That's why you're grounded for the rest of the week."
said "That's why you're grounded for the rest of the week."
said; "That's why you're grounded for the rest of the week."
said—"That's why you're grounded for the rest of the week."
The current form of the sentence uses incorrect punctuation to separate Mom's first sentence from her second. We can replace the comma with a period to make connection between the sentences grammatically correct ("said. 'That's why you're grounded for the rest of the week.'").
Replace the underlined portion with the answer choice that results in a sentence that is clear, precise, and meets the requirements of standard written English. One of the answer choices reproduces the underlined portion as it is written in the sentence.
“I can’t believe he ate the entire cake,” she said, “Can you?”
cake,” she said. “Can you?”
cake,” she said, “Can you?”
cake” she said, “Can you?”
cake” she said “Can you?”
cake.” She said. “Can you?”
Double quotation marks are conventionally used to indicate speech, and commas are conventionally used inside the quotation marks to separate a line of speech from its subsequent dialogue tag. Because “‘Can you?’” is a separate sentence from “‘I can’t believe he ate the entire cake,’ she said,’” there must be a period after “she said” to separate the two sentences.