Writing correct grammar

[neoakira70]

me and one of my lecturers had a big arguement today about proper grammar
which one of these is right

[Solo Tremaine]

It's the first one, I'm pretty sure of it. I'm not sure this kind of thread will stay up for long, though, unless this is where everyone poses questions about grammatical problems they've come across and want solved.

Strictly speaking, I think it should be 'My lecturer and I had an arguement', but that's being pernickety. I never like having to correct grammar.

[Mitch]

[color=red] Yes, the first is correct. A comma is placed within the quotation marks if you are going to continue after it and say something such as "Grab the car," my grandmother said.

But if you are not going to say something after the quotations then you do something to this extent: "Grab the car." and that's all.

I'm certain your instructor was right. But, to learn, you have to be certain.

Oh, and also, whenever a new speaker speaks within your writing, you also start a new paragraph. And when a conversation is going on, you indent...Ex:

"What's going on, Sarcy?" I asked, placing my hands on her shoulders.

"Oh, not to much. And how are you doing," Sarcy replied, reluctant as always.

And so on..

Oh, and if you put an exclamation point at the end of the quotation, no comma is needed to do the 'he said', 'she said', ect.[/color]

[vegeta rocker]

The comma is part of the quoted word, so it obviously stays within it.

[Sara]

[size=1]As a general rule, punctuation always goes inside quotes. An exception would be something like:

Did he say "wait"?

In this case, [i]you[/i] are asking a question--the question is not part of the original quote.[/size]

[Mitch]

[color=red] Ok, I must know, who was it that voted the second choice?

Per chance was it you, Sara?[/color]

[Sara]

[size=1]Heh, actually....no. But I'm honored that you should think so...or something.[/size]

[Sere Tuscumbia]

Damn. Meant to click the first one, but ended up with the second instead. Stupid freaking mouse! Optical mouse and STILL it doesn't work! *beats her mouse against the mousepad a couple times in frustration*

When you're doing quotations, a comma inside the quotations is best. "Wait," he says, laying a hand on the door, "I still need to talk." --> If you're not quite finished with a sentence, but need to punctuate your sentence to make it important (I.E. add an action that's needed to emphasize something) comma inside the quotations would be best. Plus does "'wait'," look very good?

Really, the only time you would use a comma [I]outside[/I] of the quotations is if you're cataloging (er, not sure if that sounds right but at least it sounds good to [I]me[/I]) something. (I.E. "It could be something with the words: 'bathtub', 'phone battery', and . . . possibly, 'racquetball'? I can't be sure." He squinted at the scorched scrap once more. "It'll take a while to decipher all of the way." (always remember folks, if you're quoting something inside quotations, use [I]single[/I] quotations (') instead of [I]double[/I] quotations (").) Er. Sudden idea. *starts typing madly in a new document of Microsoft Word*)

Er. I've most likely left out something, but hey, someone else will get it (or have already gotten it) for sure.

--Sere

[Raiha]

[COLOR=royalblue]First one. Duh.

No, I did not play the phonics game to figure it out....[/COLOR]

[Mitch]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Sara [/i]
[B][size=1]Heh, actually....no. But I'm honored that you should think so...or something.[/size] [/B][/QUOTE]

[color=red] Well, you seemed likely. I mean, you are sarcastic, and you are rather ironic at times.

I don't resent that either, I find it rather complexes your personality in a serious yet funny manner all at once.

I was kind of half-kidding there, anyways :p[/color]

[Dan L]

I feel incredibly stupid... we don't learn that sort of thing over here in the UK.. or, if we do, we never paid enough attention to it..

I honestly thought at first that it was the second.. purely because I see it that the person said "Wait" rather than "Wait," ... but that's physics style logic for you ^^;


edit: No... I didn't even bother using the poll ;)

[Lady Asphyxia]

[color=darkred]I thought I clicked the top one, however, after much thought, I think maybe my mouse might have stuffed up and I clicked the second one... -.- [/color]