Apostrophe or single quotation mark.

Take a noun like princess. According to the general rule, the singular possessive should be princess’s—and this is acceptable. But the singular possessive can also be princess’ without the final -s, to avoid redundancy.

I agree with The Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications, which states simply: Form the possessive of singular nouns and abbreviations by adding an apostrophe and an s. This rule applies even if the noun or abbreviation ends in s. Among its examples, Microsoft lists “Brooks’s Law.”

An apostrophe isn’t used in place of an s if the s sound is spoken. If you hear an s sound (either unvoiced or voiced) at the end, write an s after the apostrophe. So, the singular possessive is princess’s, the plural nominative is princesses, and the plural possessive is princesses’.

They are two entirely different punctuation symbols. Single quotes are limited to one real function in written U.S. English, which is to indicate a quotation within a quotation. Apostrophes, on the other hand, are used to denote possessive form and to indicate omission.

In English writing, quotation marks or inverted commas, also known informally as quotes, talking marks, speech marks, quote marks, quotemarks or speechmarks, are punctuation marks placed on either side of a word or phrase in order to identify it as a quotation, direct speech or a literal title or name.

Single inverted commas (in British English) are mainly used to: mark the beginning and end of direct speech (i.e. a speaker’s words written down exactly as they were spoken). EXAMPLE: ‘What time does the lecture begin?’ she asked.

When a word or phrase is placed in inverted commas, it allows us a provisional use of it. It is iterative and has the appearance of slang, and is commonly put in inverted commas. Inverted commas make a word inclusive beyond its initial meaning.

How to paraphrase in five steps

1. Read the passage several times to fully understand the meaning.
2. Note down key concepts.
3. Write your version of the text without looking at the original.
4. Compare your paraphrased text with the original passage and make minor adjustments to phrases that remain too similar.

When you are writing, inverted commas or speech marks go before and after direct speech, surrounding what was said.

• “I’m hungry,” she complained.
• If another character replies, use another set of inverted commas.
• “What’s for tea?” she asked.

For the relative placing of quotation marks and punctuation, follow Hart’s rules. Thus, if an extract ends with a full stop or question-mark, put the punctuation before the closing inverted commas.

When you’re quoting a source, use quotation marks to indicate a character’s thoughts, and make it clear in your prose that you are quoting thoughts, not speech: If you’re writing fiction, you may style a character’s thoughts in italics or quotation marks.

In British English we use single inverted commas for direct speech and double marks to enclose the quote. Example: Mr Smith said, ‘I think it was Sarah who said “It was a mistake” more than once. ‘ In American English you use single quotation marks when direct speech is quoted within another piece of direct speech.

Inverted comma meaning in Hindi (हिन्दी मे मीनिंग ) is अवतरण चिन्ह.English definition of Inverted comma : a punctuation mark used to attribute the enclosed text to someone else.

Quotation marks are ALWAYS used in pairs, one at the beginning of the quoted text and one at the end. The same rule applies to titles and words used in a special sense or for emphasis. Use double quotation marks (“”) around a direct quote. A direct quote is a word- for-word report of what someone else said or wrote.

As a general rule, British usage has in the past usually preferred single quotes for ordinary use, but double quotes are now increasingly common; American usage has always preferred double quotes.

Place double quotation marks around…

1. exact wording taken from a source to show where it begins and ends.
2. a title of a shorter work, such as an article, poem, or short story.
3. character dialogue in narrative writing.
4. words when you are referring to them as a word or a label.

Double quotes are used to mark speech, for titles of short works like TV shows and articles, as scare quotes to indicate irony or an author’s disagreement with a premise. Single quotes are used to enclose a quote within a quote, a quote within a headline, or a title within a quote.

Single quotation marks are used to indicate quotations inside of other quotations. “Jessie said, ‘Goodbye,’” Ben said. This is Ben talking, so his words go in quotation marks. But because we’re quoting Ben quoting someone else, Jessie, we use single quotation marks to indicate the quote within the quote.

Quotation Marks

1. We use quotation marks with direct quotes, with titles of certain works, to imply alternate meanings, and to write words as words.
2. Block quotations are not set off with quotation marks.
3. The quoted text is capitalized if you’re quoting a complete sentence and not capitalized if you’re quoting a fragment.

Scare quotes are quotation marks placed around a word or phrase from which you, the writer, wish to distance yourself because you consider that word or phrase to be odd or inappropriate for some reason.

Why Do People Use Scare Quotes?

• When quotation marks are used to mean “so-called,” they’re referred to as “scare quotes.”
• Scare quotes (like gestured air quotes) are used when writers want to distance themselves from the words they use.
• Never use scare quotes for emphasis.

Scare quotes (also known, even more colorfully, as “shudder quotes” and “sneer quotes”) are identical to standard quotation marks, but do precisely the opposite of what quotation marks are supposed to do: They signal irony, and uncertainty. They suggest words that don’t quite mean what they claim to.

If you do scare quote, though, make sure to follow these handy tips:

1. NEVER use scare quotes for emphasis.
2. Make sure your reader can tell you’re not quoting something directly.
3. If you introduce a borrowed term, only use quote marks the first time.
4. Do not use both “so-called” and scare quotes for a single word.

/sker/ C1. to (make a person or animal) feel frightened: Sudden noises scare her. She’s very brave – she doesn’t scare easily.

Air quotes are made by extending the pointer and and middle finger on each hand into the air and curling then slightly to imitate the shape of quotation marks. One employs air quotes when stating something ironic or mocking.

Quotation marks around single words can occasionally be used for emphasis, but only when quoting a word or term someone else used. Usually, this implies that the author doesn’t agree with the use of the term. He said he was “working”; it looked to me like he was procrastinating.