AP English Language and Composition: Glass 1

Integrating quotations

How to integrate textual support smoothly into your own writing

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What does and doesn’t work?

INEFFECTIVE

Mrs. Fornari writes, “My mother, who has has a hot pink rain coat.” This statement describes her mother’s unusual fashion sense.

EFFECTIVE

Mrs. Fornari writes, “My mother, who has a hot pink raincoat, loves funky clothes.” This statement describes her mother’s unusual fashion sense.

Quote is an incomplete sentence. The idea of Mrs. Fornari’s mother having a raincoat is incomplete.

Quote is a complete sentence that expresses a complete thought.

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What does and doesn’t work?

INEFFECTIVE

Mrs. Fornari argues that chocolate chip cookies are the best cookies. “Chocolate chip is the most delicious cookie.”

EFFECTIVE

Mrs. Fornari argues that chocolate chip cookies are the best cookies: “Chocolate chip is the most delicious cookie.”

A complete sentence introduces the quote, but ends in a period.

A complete sentence introduces the quote and ends in a colon to show the reader that the quote will follow.

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Integrating QuotationsOption #1: Speech tag

Introduce a complete sentence quotation by using an speech tag like “he writes,” “she claims,” and so on.

Mrs. Fornari states, “Oatmeal cookies will never be tastier than chocolate chip.”

“How could anyone like oatmeal more than chocolate chip?” asks Mrs. Fornari

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Be careful!

Do NOT use an speech tag to introduce a quote that is NOT a complete sentence.

INCORRECT: Mrs. Fornari writes, “My mother, who has a hot pink rain coat.”

ALSO INCORRECT: Mrs. Fornari writes, “My mother, who has a hot pink raincoat,” in order to express her mother’s unusual fashion sense.

Why can’t speech tags introduce incomplete sentence quotes? Because speech verbs like say, assert, exclaim, ask, etc. require a complete sentence to follow. Notice how odd the following sounds: The girl said, “The grumpy man, who has a dog.”

Integrating QuotationsOption #2: Use a sentence.

Use a complete sentence of your own to introduce a complete sentence quote. You must use a colon to introduce the quotation in this case.

Mrs. Fornari believes oatmeal will never beat chocolate chip: “Oatmeal cookies could never win over chocolate chip cookies.”

Mr. Cecil disagrees with Mrs. Fornari: “Oatmeal cookies are delicious. Much better than chocolate chip.”

A complete sentence introduces the quote and ends in a colon to show the reader that the quote will follow.

Make important parts of the quotation a part of your own sentence.

Mrs. Fornari describes her mother as a fashonista who owns “a hot pink raincoat” and enjoys “funky clothing.”

Mrs. Fornari argues that “chocolate chip is the most delicious” of the many cookie varieties available.

Notice there is no comma between your own words and the quotation. This is because the quote is, in a way, becoming part of your own words.

Integrating QuotationsOption #3: Incorporate

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Integrating QuotationsOption #3: Incorporate

If you must change an element within the quote to make it work with your grammar structure, use brackets to show the change.

Original Quote: “My mother, who owns a hot pink raincoat, likes funky clothing.”

Though she dresses more conservatively now, Mrs. Fornari’s mother used to “[own] a hot pink raincoat” and “[liked] funky clothing.”

This sentence is written in the past tense, but the quote is written in the present tense. The quote needs to be adjusted to fit the grammar structure of the sentence. Readers can see the changes made when they are shown in brackets.

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When do I use a colon or comma?

When a complete sentence introduces a complete sentence quote, use a colon.

Mrs. Fornari believes oatmeal cookies to be beneath chocolate chip: “Oatmeal cookies could never win over chocolate chip cookies.”

When an incomplete sentence or speech tag introduces a complete sentence quote, use a comma.

Mrs. Fornari claims that “oatmeal cookies could never win over chocolate chip cookies.”

Mrs. Fornari says, “Oatmeal cookies could never win over chocolate chip cookies.”

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Punctuation Rules: The Basics Capitalize the first letter of any complete sentence quote.

Describing her love for chocolate chip cookies, Mrs. Fornari claimed, “Chocolate chip cookies are best kind of cookie.”

Mrs. Fornari makes a valid claim: “Chocolate chip cookies are the best kind of cookie.”

Do not capitalize the first letter of a quote if it is being incorporated into your own words.

Mrs. Fornari is certain that “chocolate chip cookies are the best kind of cookie.”

AP English Language and Composition: Glass 11

Punctuation Rules: The Basics

If the quotation is broken into two parts, do not capitalize the first letter of the second part.

“Our team is bound to win," said Coach Glass, "because UHS students are excellent Ultimate Frisbee players."

Punctuation Rules: The Basics, 3

Use an ellipses ( … ) to skip over unimportant information.

Original quote: “I love chocolate chip cookies because they are warm and gooey and delicious. They really are just so yummy. Who could argue? Chocolate cookies are definitely the best cookie.”

Mrs. Fornari claims, “I love chocolate chip cookies because they are…delicious. They…are definitely the best cookie.”

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Punctuation Rules: Commas and Periods

Commas and periods go INSIDE closing quotation marks, EXCEPT when a parenthetical citation follows the quotation.

Mrs. Fornari claims, “Chocolate chip cookies are best kind of cookie.”

Mrs. Fornari states that her mother, a “funky” dresser, owns a “hot pink raincoat” (3).

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Punctuation Rules: Question Marks, Exclamation Points, and Dashes If a question mark, exclamation point, or dash is part of

the original quotation, place it within the closing quotation mark.

Mrs. Fornari asks, “Who baked these delicious cookies?” (5).

The question is part of what Mrs. Fornari said.

If a question mark, exclamation point, or dash is part of your sentence that includes the quotation, place it outside of the closing quotation mark.  

Do other teachers agree with Mrs. Fornari’s claim that “chocolate chip cookies are the best kind of cookie” (2)?

The question is asked about the quotation.

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Block Quotes

You will need to use a block quote if the information you are trying to quote is very long and cannot be reasonably cut down by the use of ellipses.

Remember that the more you quote the more you have to explain. Only use block quotes if you absolutely must have every bit of that info available to the reader.

If you must use a block quote, remember these guidelines…

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Block Quotes: Rules

Begin quote as a new line of text.

Indent 1” from left margin.

No quotation marks

Parenthetical citation goes outside final punctuation within quote.

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Block Quotes: ExampleIn her essay on family, Mrs. Fornari describes her mother’s unusual fashion sense:

Her mother’s fashion delights others as much as the wearer, and she seems to enjoy the attention.

My mother, who owns a hot pink raincoat, likes funky clothes. She is always outrageously dressed for any occasion: neon green tights, sparkly bags, bejeweled and embroidered t-shirts. Often I wonder if she dresses for herself or for others. It seems that her crazy outfits make strangers smile as much as her. (3)

AP English Language and Composition: Glass 18

The End

Time to practice…