Join In
Twitter
YouTube
Weekly Newsletter
Libraries
A-Z Grammatical Terms
A-Z Confused Words
FAQs by Writers
A-Z Awkward Plurals
Punctuation Lessons
Common Mistakes
(ordered by seriousness) ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists A-Z Idioms and Proverbs Tests and Games Top Tip Install a grammar checker
for your browser
(ordered by seriousness) ESL Vocabulary Lists Parts of Speech Lists A-Z Idioms and Proverbs Tests and Games Top Tip Install a grammar checker
for your browser
Comma or Colon before a Quotation?
Should I put a comma or a colon before a quotation?
Before we discuss whether to use a comma, colon, or nothing before a quotation, let's remind ourselves why we need quotation marks. Quotation marks show the exact words previously spoken or written. For example:- Anna looked up and said, "It's true. Her scatty dog ate the office key."
- Her performance proved beyond all doubt that she was "simply the best."
- The sign clearly states, "Thieves will be prosecuted."
Comma or a Colon before a Quotation?
When introducing a quotation with words like "He said," "She whispered," "It stated," or "He said the following," you have to decide whether to follow the introduction with a comma, a colon, or nothing.In creative writing especially, writers are free to choose to achieve their desired flow of text. In more formal writing, however, punctuation is expected after an introduction for a quotation. The rules are quite lax. Below is some general guidance:

(Rule 1) Use a colon if the introduction is an independent clause.
You should opt for a colon if the introduction is an independent clause (i.e., a clause that could stand alone as a sentence), and you should start the quotation with a capital letter. For example:- The guides always gave the same advice: "Leave them alone, and they will leave you alone."
(Rule 2) You can use a colon if the quotation is an independent clause.
You could opt for a colon if the quotation itself is an independent clause, especially if you intend to start it with a capital letter. For example:- The prisoner uttered: "Leave me alone."
(Rule 3) Use a comma if the introduction is not an independent clause.
You should opt for a comma if the introduction is not an independent clause. For example:- She said, "tomorrow, definitely tomorrow."
- Granddad looked at me over the top of his glasses and said, "I've seen it all and done it all. I just don't remember any of it."
(Rule 4) You can only use a comma (i.e., not a colon) after a quotation.
There is only a choice between a comma and a colon when the quotation is being introduced. Only a comma can be used after a quotation. For example:- Paul looked over the hedge and shouted: "You can keep half of the strawberries you pick."
- "You can keep half of the strawberries you pick," shouted Paul, looking over the hedge.
More about the Punctuation before Quotation
Using Nothing before a Quotation
Quite often quotations are used without introductions like "He asked," "She yelled," and "They wrote." (These are called verbs of attribution.) In those cases, you cannot use punctuation to introduce the quotation. For example:- I believe there really is "no place like home."
- I believe there really is, "no place like home."
- If this is the "best skiing resort in France," I would hate to see the worst.
- If this is the, "best skiing resort in France," I would hate to see the worst.
Use "The Following" to Force a Colon
Many writers use the words "the following" to create an independent clause in order to justify a colon. For example:- She said the following: "Janet, erratic; James, bossy; and Tony, meek."
- She said: "Janet, erratic; James, bossy; and Tony, meek." (With this version, the colon cannot be justified.)
Not a Hard and Fast Rule
Many writers do not adhere to the guidelines regarding the use of commas and colons with quotations. Nowadays, it is acceptable to introduce a quotation with a comma, a colon, or nothing. In modern writing, the choice of punctuation depends largely on the desired flow of the text (i.e., how much the writer wants the reader to pause).The strongest rule is the following one: Use a colon after an introduction that is an independent clause.
Beware Reported Speech
Quotation marks are not used for reported speech. (Reported speech is usually preceded by the word "that.") Only use quotation marks for actual quotations of speech or writing. Look at these similar examples:- The secretary said, "The phones are dead."
- The secretary said that the phones were dead.
- The secretary said that "the phones were dead."
- The secretary said that the phones were "dead."
- Edmund said, "I am a good boy."
- Edmund said that "he was a good boy".
- Edmund said that he was a good boy.
- Edmund said that he was a "good boy."
Help Us Improve Grammar Monster
- Do you disagree with something on this page?
- Did you spot a typo?
Find Us Quicker!
- When using a search engine (e.g., Google, Bing), you will find Grammar Monster quicker if you add #gm to your search term.
See Also
Using commas (a summary) Take our commas test Three dots (ellipsis) in quotation (speech) marks Punctuation inside or outside quotation (speech) marks?
