When quoting do you capitalize the first letter

Quotation marks are used primarily to enclose or set off exact words. They are used to indicate a person's exact written or spoken words, and in certain situations they are also used to set off words, phrases, or specific types of titles. When using quotation marks, certain rules apply regarding punctuation and capitalization.

1. Use quotation marks to enclose direct quotations.

• The direct quotation of a person's exact words, whether spoken or written, must be in quotation marks.

"Don't forget to visit me in London," Martha said.

• Do not use quotation marks around indirect quotations. An indirect quotation does not state the speaker's exact words.

Martha said that I should visit her when I am in London.

2. Use quotation marks to indicate words used ironically, with reservations, or in some unusual way.

Declaring it was a symbol of "progress," they cut down all the trees.

3. Use quotation marks to set off words used as words.

• Words used as words are usually set off by the use of italics or underlined to indicate italics. However, enclosing them in quotation marks is also acceptable.

The words "accept" and "except" are frequently confused.

4. Use quotation marks around the titles of newspaper and magazine articles, poems, essays, short stories, songs, episodes of television and radio programs, and chapters or subdivisions of books.

After I read "The Internet's Role in Education" in one of my educational journals, I had a much better understanding of the issues.

The class analyzed Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken" and eventually agreed that there could be several interpretations.

5. When using quotation marks, certain rules apply regarding capitalization and punctuation.

• Use a capital letter with the first word of a complete sentence of a direct quotation.

The teacher remarked, "The semester is already half over."

• Do not use a capital letter with the first word of a direct quotation that is only part of a sentence.

Tyler asked if I would be "heading out of town on a Harley."

• If the quotation of a complete sentence is interrupted in the middle and then continues after the interruption, do not capitalize the second part of the quotation. Use commas to set off the explanatory words.

"When it comes to cake," Jessica said, "chocolate cake takes the cake."

• If the quotation continues with a new sentence after an explanatory interruption, use a period at the end of the interruption and continue the quotation with a capital letter where the new sentence begins.

"When it comes to cake, chocolate cake takes the cake," Jessica said. "In fact, I'd love to have some right now."

• If a quotation begins the sentence, set it off with a comma from the unquoted part of the sentence unless it ends with a question mark or exclamation point. Because the explanatory words simply continue the sentence, do not begin them with a capital letter.

"I don't know what happened," he said quickly.

"What happened?" she asked.

"We saw just what happened!" they shouted.

• Always place periods and commas inside the quotation marks.

He said, "I enjoy working on automobile engines."

Although Lawrence had asked for "the best seat in the house," he didn't seem to notice they were seated right next to the kitchen.

• Place colons and semicolons outside quotation marks.

Dave had replied, "I regret I am unable to attend the wedding"; he was there, however, for the entire ceremony.

• Place question marks and exclamation points inside quotation marks unless they apply to the sentence as a whole.

The clerk politely asked, "Would you like paper or plastic?"

What do you mean by "over the hill"?

• After a word group introducing a quotation, use a comma, a colon, or no punctuation at all, depending on the context.

Use a comma if the quotation is introduced or followed by an expression such as he said or she remarked.

She replied, "Take it quickly before I change my mind."

Use a colon if a quotation is introduced by a full independent clause.

He feels the advice of Alexander Pope is especially relevant: "To err is human, to forgive divine."

When a quotation is blended into the writer's introductory sentence, no punctuation is needed to separate the introduction from the quoted phrase.

Marisa comes here every day at noon and asks for "a dog and a beer."

• Use single quotation marks to enclose a quotation within a quotation.

The professor explained, "Although Thoreau wrote that most men ‘lead lives of quiet desperation,' much of his writing expressed the joy in life."

We need quotation marks to quote other people, imply double meanings, and show titles. But is the beginning of a quote capitalized

In this guide, I’ll help you enhance your understanding of capitalization in quotes. Keep reading to learn how to use quotation marks in mid-sentences and how to change a case in quotes.

Is It Correct to Capitalize the First Word in a Quote?

Every complete sentence starts with a capital letter. But it can be more confusing when you need to apply capitalization rules in a quotation. Is the beginning of a quote capitalized?

Capitalization in quotes only occurs when you are quoting a complete sentence or starting with a proper noun

Example:

• “We went to the hospital today,” Peter stated.

In this sentence, the quotation marks start at the beginning. “We” begins with a capital letter because the quotation is a complete sentence.

Here’s another example where the placement of punctuation is different.

• Peter “went to the hospital,” but I saw him at John’s house.

“Went” starts with a lowercase letter because “went to the hospital” is an incomplete sentence or a partial quotation.

Are Quotes in the Middle of a Sentence Capitalized?

Seeing a capital letter mid-sentence might feel weird, but it’s possible.

A capitalization in mid-sentence is acceptable if the direct quotation is a complete sentence.

Example:

• The golden rule of writing fiction is, “Show, don’t tell,” and it has been forever.

Here’s a different example:

• When people started questioning the former President, Richard Nixon was firm in saying he was “not a crook” when people started accusing him.

The lack of capitalization in the quotation is because “not a crook” is a sentence fragment.

Do You Capitalize After a Comma in a Quote?

Yes. A verb of saying followed by a comma requires a capital letter for its following direct quotation. Some verbs of saying include:

• Exclaims.
• Says.
• Announces.
• Writes.
• States.
• Mentions.

Example:

• Farmer Hoggett says, “That’ll do, pig. That’ll do.”

Capitalize After a Question Mark in Quotations?

No. It would be best if you didn’t capitalize after a question within quotation marks.

Example:

• “Do you know where Mr. Gold is?” he asked.

How to Change a Case in a Quote

According to the APA style, “The first letter of the first word in a quotation may be changed to an uppercase or lowercase letter to fit the context of the sentence in which the quotation appears.”

Notice how the quotation above starts with a capital letter. Because the APA style says you can change the case, here’s an example of how to do so:

• The APA style states we can change a word’s first letter to a capital or small letter “to fit the context of the sentence in which the quotation appears.”

Other Rules for Direct Quotations

The most general rule is to use double quotation marks for a single sentence of quotation.

Example:

• Correct: “I wish you were here,” said Jess.
• Incorrect: Jess said he “wishes you were here.”

The second example is incorrect since “wishes you were here” are not the exact words of Jess.

A block quotation after a verb and a colon requires the capitalization of the first letter of the first word.

Example:

Paolo Freire writes:

Implicit in the banking concept is the assumption of a dichotomy between human beings and the world: a person is merely in the world, not with the world or with others; the individual is spectator, not re-creator. In this view, the person is not a conscious being (corpo consciente); he or she is rather the possessor of a consciousness: an empty “mind” passively open to the reception of deposits of reality from the world outside. (historyisaweapon.com)

Quotations within quotations often lead to punctuation mistakes. Always use single quotation marks for the quotation within the quotation. Then, use double quotation marks to show the third level of quotation.