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Full stop (period) inside/outside quotation marks?

Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 8:48 am
by EC
Does a full stop (period) go inside or outside quotation marks?

If the quoted words end with a full stop, then the full stop goes inside the quotation marks. If the quoted words do not end with a full stop, then the full stop goes outside the quotation marks:
  • He said: "I love you."
    She has read "War and Peace".
Note that in US English, the full stop usually goes inside the quotation marks in all cases:
  • He said: "I love you."
    She has read "War and Peace."
However, US English adopts the British style for question marks and exclamation marks:
  • He said: "Do you love me?"
    Have you read "War and Peace"?
    Can you imagine? He has never read "War and Peace"!