when writing dialogue, when to use 'this' and when to use "this"?

Question

' or "
any difference?

Answer 1

Actually, it depends on in which country you are writing.

In the UK, the convention is ' first, and then if you're quoting within the quote, it's this "

Here's a passage of a review I wrote for The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. My review is in one set of quotes, the quotation from the book is in another, and the dialogue that takes place in the book in yet a third:

'There are observations about teamwork, about responsibility (both of leadership and of sentience). There are observations too about, how shall I put it...getting along? Here, rats and humans will learn to get along, at least for one lucky town...but it will take time. After all, they are so different - different cultures, different written languages, different sizes and colours...different number of feet...

And, of course, there is the nearly final ironic observation about the power of the story, and where it fits in: '"Stories are just stories. Life is complicated enough as it is. We have to plan for the real world. There's no room for the fantastic" "Exactly," said the rat. And the man and rat talked, as the long light faded into the evening.'''

So the beginning of what I wrote ('There are observations...) is in one set of quotes, then the beginning of what I'm quoting starts another ', then the beginning of the dialogue a third " (I start quoting at the beginning of the dialogue).

I could have reversed the quotes:

"There are observations about teamwork, about responsibility (both of leadership and of sentience). There are observations too about, how shall I put it...getting along? Here, rats and humans will learn to get along, at least for one lucky town...but it will take time. After all, they are so different - different cultures, different written languages, different sizes and colours...different number of feet...

'And, of course, there is the nearly final ironic observation about the power of the story, and where it fits in: "'Stories are just stories. Life is complicated enough as it is. We have to plan for the real world. There's no room for the fantastic' 'Exactly,' said the rat. And the man and rat talked, as the long light faded into the evening."'"

Normally, when you read a fiction book in Britain dialogue is quoted with single quotes, and reported dialogue within conversations in is double - in the States that trend is reversed.

Good luck!

Answer 2

yes there is a difference-'this' is used generally to highlight a particular word or sentence or if u have to emphasise on something, for eg you are using a slang or a word different from the writing pattern you are using. It can be used instead of the italics or bold. like while writing in english you want to include another language word.
"this" is used when you are using direct speech i.e you present the dialogue in the first person (as originally said) instead of the third person.
here is an eg featuring both
Phil said to Sam, "Why are you going to the 'bazaar' tonight?"
In third person it would be like this- Phil asked Sam why he was going to the 'bazaar' tonight.

Answer 3

When writing dialogue, you would use the apostrophes when showing dialogue within dialogue.

"He said, 'Give me your purse," then pointed a gun at me," said the witness.

Answer 4

As a rule you use " to show when someone is speaking and ' when you are quoting someone, although this is more often used in acadmia.

In fiction use ' to report speach, it's how it is in all books.

Answer 5

Yes ,there is a difference. If a person is speaking, use "

If the person is speaking and repeating what someone else said, use ' then "

"What a great day," Sara said.

"He told me yesterday he was 'in love' with Sara."

"Well, what a thing he said! 'damn you.'"

Answer 6

Use " when quoting. If you are quoting within a quote, then you use'. The ' within the quote indcates another direct quote. Think of the difference here:

"The doctor said it's cancer."
vs.
"The doctor said, 'It's cancer.'"

Answer 7

Nothing more to add or subtract. Beez and Berrylicious are right on the ball.

Answer 8

I tend to use " as they are, I was taught, speech marks. i have always used ' when putting things like she's, he's, there's etc...

Answer 9

so long as you are consistent, you can use ' this ' or " this ", but not 'this"