Punctuation Rules: Periods with Quotation Marks and Parentheses
Introduction
Punctuation rules can sometimes be confusing, especially when dealing with periods, quotation marks, and parentheses. This article will clarify the placement of periods in relation to different punctuation marks, with specific focus on American and British English conventions.Period Placement with Quotation Marks
The placement of the period in relation to quotation marks varies between American and British English. In American English, the period typically comes before the closing quotation mark, regardless of whether the entire sentence is within the quotation marks. Here is an example:She said she added.
Conversely, in British English, the period may come outside the quotation marks if it is not part of the quoted material. For instance:She said she added.
Period Placement with Parentheses
For parentheses, the rules are similar to American English. The period comes after the closing parenthesis if the entire sentence is within the parentheses. For example:He loves ice cream, especially (chocolate).
This rule applies even if the sentence is broken up with parentheses in the middle. Surrounding punctuation should be placed outside the parentheses, as if the contents of the parentheses were not there. For instance:The city (founded in 1790) continues to grow.
Ending Punctuation with Quotation Marks
If a sentence ends with a quoted statement, the period typically goes inside the closing quotation mark. Here are a couple of examples:I love you, Peter said.
Peter said, I love you.
In British English, the period typically goes outside the quotation marks if the period is not part of the quoted content. For example:Helen asked Does he love me?
Yes, I do love you!