Essay Resources

Three Ways to Work in Quotations

1. When the quotation works into the sentence naturally, no

punctuation is needed:

e.g. Macbeth claims that “false face must hide what the false
heart doth know” (1.7.82).

e.g. Lady Macbeth remarks that “the sleeping and the dead/ Are
but as pictures” (2.2.52-53).

Note: Do not include the punctuation at the end of the quotation

unless it is a question mark or an exclamation mark; instead, you
should put a period after the parenthetical reference.

Note: Do not shift cases from the third person to the first person
without announcing the shift, e.g. DO NOT WRITE: Macbeth
explains that “I dare do all that may become a man” (1.7.46).

2. When a word like says, states, asks or writes is used to

introduce the quotation, use a comma:

e.g. Lady Macbeth admits, “I have given suck, and know/ How
tender ‘tis to love the babe that milks me” (1.7.54-55).

e.g. To Macbeth’s dismay, Duncan announces, “We will establish

our estate upon/ Our eldest, Malcolm” (1.4.47-38).

3. When you introduce the quotation with an independent

clause and the quotation is not grammatically part of the
sentence, use a colon:
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e.g. Lady Macbeth calls upon the power of darkness to help her
carry through with the murder: “Come to my woman’s breasts,/
And take my milk for gall, you murd’ring ministers” (1.5.48-49).

e.g. Macbeth admits the lack of morality behind his desire to kill
Duncan: “I have no spur/ To prink the sides of my intent, but
only/ Vaulting ambition” (1.7.25-27).

Note: Whatever manner you use to integrate a quotation, the

sentence and the quotation should make sense in terms of
content and grammar. Try reading the sentence without the
quotation marks to see if it makes sense.

Credit: Topp