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Introduce or conclude the quote by attributing it to the speaker. If your attribution precedes the quote, you will need to use a comma after the verb. Hamlet denies.
What is the correct way to punctuate the end of a sentence before a quote that directly supports the statement? I assume either a colon or a semicolon, but I have no idea which is correct.For example:Waldo is a better hide-and-seek player than Clem; 'Waldo wasthe winner of the past ten annual hiding awards' (Where's Waldo 13).Waldo is a better hide-and-seek player than Clem: 'Waldo wasthe winner of the past ten annual hiding awards' (Where's Waldo 13).(Excuse the silly example, but I didn't have a better one.). Some say the correct punctuation is a plain old comma. From the:Use a comma to introduce a quotation after a standard dialogue tag, abrief introductory phrase, or a dependent clause.The detective said, 'I am sure who performed the murder.' `As D.H.Nachas explains, 'The gestures used for greeting others differ greatlyfrom one culture to another.'
Others say no punctuation at all, as the quotation marks do everything that is needed. From Larry Trask's ' at the University of Sussex:You should not insert additional punctuation marks into the sentencemerely to warn the reader that a quotation is coming up: that's whatthe quotation marks are for. Hence the first two of the following arebad style, and the third one is wrong:.President Nixon declared, 'I am not a crook.' .President Nixon declared: 'I am not a crook.'
.President Nixon declared:- 'I am not a crook.' Some newspapers use a colon - the Guardian, for example - but that is set by the individual style-guide for that publication and is not a rule as such. The says:Use a semicolon to join 2 independent clauses when the second clause restates the first or when the two clauses are of equal emphasis.Use a colon to join 2 independent clauses when you wish to emphasize the second clause, or after an independent clause when it is followed by a list, a quotation, appositive, or other idea directly related to the independent clause.With that as our guide, either one could be acceptable, depending on what you are trying to do. Your opening declaration and the ensuing quote are both independent clauses; the second happens to be a quote related to the first.Use of a semicolon would not 'ungrammatical.'
However, if you were taking a poll, here's what I'd recommend: use the colon – it seems to be a better fit.
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