How to Quote a Quote Within a Quote in 2023
Quoting a Quote Basics
When you’re writing, you’ll often want to share the words or ideas of someone else. Whether you’re quoting a person, a book, or a movie, it’s important to use the correct formatting. Quoting a quote is a unique situation compared to other sources, because you’ll need to nest two sets of quotation marks to indicate the original quote and the quote within the quote. Here’s the basic structure of how to quote a quote.
1. Introduce the quote with a signal phrase.
Begin the quote with a signal phrase. The signal phrase should include the speaker’s name and a verb. For example, you might write “John said,” or “John exclaimed.”
2. Use double quotation marks.
The quote itself should appear within double quotation marks. This indicates that the words are a direct quote from the speaker.
3. Put the nested quote in single quotation marks.
If the quote within the quote has its own quotation marks, you should use single quotation marks. This way, the reader will know that the nested quote is still part of the primary quote.
Examples of How to Quote a Quote
Here are some examples of how to quote a quote within a quote. In each case, the quote within the quote will appear in single quotation marks. The primary quote will appear in double quotation marks.
1. John said, “I’m always inspired by the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, who once said, ‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.’”
In this example, the signal phrase is “John said” and the primary quote is “I’m always inspired by the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, who once said.” The quote within the quote is “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
2. Mary exclaimed, “I read something amazing today: ‘No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.’”
In this example, the signal phrase is “Mary exclaimed” and the primary quote is “I read something amazing today.” The quote within the quote is “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
When to Use Quotes Within Quotes
Quotes within quotes are useful for citing both direct and indirect quotes. For example, if you’re writing a report on a book, you might want to include an indirect quote. In this case, you can use a quote within a quote to indicate that the words you’re citing come from a book. You can also use quotes within quotes to cite famous sayings or to emphasize a point the speaker has made.
When to Avoid Quotes Within Quotes
In some cases, it’s best to avoid using quotes within quotes. For example, if the quote within the quote is too long or makes the sentence too confusing, you should omit the quote within the quote. You should also avoid using quotes within quotes if you’re citing a source that you can’t accurately identify.
Quoting a Quote: The Bottom Line
Quoting a quote is a great way to share the words of a speaker or writer. Just make sure that you use the correct formatting to indicate the original quote and the quote within the quote. When you’re done, you’ll have a clear, accurate quote that you can use to support your own writing.