punctuation

[kohyoongliat]

1. "I’ll never get this done," she thought.

2. I’ll never get this done, she thought.

Are quotation marks obligatory when we are writing about what we think.

Thank you very much.

[Anglika]

No.

[kohyoongliat]

Thanks, Anglika.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by kohyoongliat

1. "I’ll never get this done," she thought.

2. I’ll never get this done, she thought.

Are quotation marks obligatory when we are writing about what we think.

Thank you very much.

You'll find that some writers use italics. Like this,

I'll never get this done, she thought.

All the best.

[kohyoongliat]

Originally Posted by Casiopea

You'll find that some writers use italics. Like this,

I'll never get this done, she thought.

All the best.

Isn't italicizing the sentence equivalent to using the quotation marks? If so, can I conclude that quotation marks are needed if we do not use italics?

Thanks in advance.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by kohyoongliat

Isn't italicizing the sentence equivalent to using the quotation marks?

Yes and no. It depends on the writer. Consistency is important, here. If you're going to use italics instead of quotation marks, then don't use italics to express reported thoughts; e.g., I'll never get this done, she thought.

Originally Posted by kohyoongliat[/quote

If so, can I conclude that quotation marks are needed if we do not use italics?

I agree with Anglika. Quotation marks are not 'obligatory' when reporting a speaker's thoughts or ideas that are not spoken out loud. Quotation marks are like little speakers, the kind you find attached to a radio, TV, computer, and even an iPod. They emit spoken words.

Does that help?

[kohyoongliat]

Thanks, Casiopea

Just to confirm: So I use either quotation marks or none at all. And if I use italics it is equivalent to quotation marks.

I've to be consistent. Use one of the three ways above. There should be no combination.

Am I correct?

Sorry to have to ask you the same question again.

Thank you very much.

Best wishes

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by kohyoongliat

So I use either quotation marks or none at all.

For reported thoughts, yes.

Originally Posted by kohyoongliat

And if I use italics it is equivalent to quotation marks.

It's different from quotation marks. Italics represents thoughts, words that are not spoken out loud. Moreover, and please note, if you use quotation marks to emphasize thoughts, words that are not uttered out loud, what will you use to emphasize words that are spoken out loud?

Ex: "I'm going, " said Max.
Ex: Thank goodness Max is leaving, thought Sam.

Originally Posted by kohyoongliat

I've to be consistent.

Yes.

Originally Posted by kohyoongliat

Use one of the three ways above.

3 ways? Try this,

A. Quotation marks for spoken words and italics for thoughts.

Ex: "I'm going," said Max.
Ex: Thank goodness Max is leaving, thought Sam.


B. Quotation marks for spoken words and no quotation marks or italics for thoughts.

Ex: "I'm going," said Max.
Ex: Thank goodness Max is leaving, thought Sam.

Originally Posted by kohyoongliat[/quote

There should be no combination.

What do you mean by combinations? A. houses a combination.

[kohyoongliat]

Thanks, Casiopea for the detailed reply. 'Combination' means that I cannot use quotation marks, italics and ordinary print (Is this the correct term?) in any way I like. Do you get my point?

One question I would like to ask is when it is handwritten work, can we also use italics?

Thanks in advance.