[Grammar] Shouldn't the comma come inside the quotation marks in this sentence?

[Mori]

The comma, question mark, or exclamation mark comes inside the quotation marks, unless you put the reporting verb in the middle of a sentence that does not have punctuation itself:
‘There is’, Monica said, ‘nothing we can do about it.’

Collins Common Errors in English second edition, page 165

Shouldn't the first comma come inside the quotation marks?
‘There is,’ Monica said, ‘nothing we can do about it.’

 

[5jj]

No. If you did that, you would be quoting the words as: "There is, nothing we could do about it".

 

[Mori]

No. If you did that, you would be quoting the words as: "There is, nothing we could do about it".

Then I wonder what you think about the following examples:

‘Was it,’ he asked, ‘the first time you had spoken to Mrs Dalton?’

Ronald Carter et al., English Grammar Today

‘Don’t try to do too much,’ the fitness trainer said, ‘when you begin.’

Ronald Carter et al., English Grammar Today

'Your information,' I replied, ‘is out of date.'

Michael Swan, Practical English Usage fourth edition, entry 257.2

'His last words,' said Albert, ‘were "Close that window".’

Michael Swan, Practical English Usage fourth edition, entry 298.1

“What do they mean,” she demanded, “by a ‘population problem’?”

Collins COBUILD English Grammar fourth edition, entry 7.26

'There,' she said, 'is our taxi.'

Geoffrey Leech et al., An A-Z of English Grammar and Usage second edition, page 126

"My brother," she said, "is a student."

Betty S. Azar et al., Understanding and Using English Grammar fifth edition, page 260

'The problem,' he said, 'is that Mr Sanchez is very upset.'

Collins COBUILD English Usage fourth edition, page 456

"One of the reasons we wanted to make the programme," he explains, "is that the word 'hostage' had been used so often that it had lost any sense or meaning."

Collins COBUILD English Usage fourth edition, page 747

 

[slevlife]

This is a difference between American and British punctuation. Americans put trailing commas and periods inside the quotation marks. Brits only do so if the punctuation is part of the speech/text they're quoting.

That said, even though I'm American, I sometimes use the British style to be more precise about my quotations.

 

[Mori]

This is a difference between American and British punctuation. Americans always put trailing commas and periods inside the quotation marks. Brits only do so if the punctuation is part of the speech/text they're quoting. Both consider the other style wrong. That said, even though I'm American, I sometimes use the British style to be more precise about my quotations.

The point is all the above-mentioned reference works are British English based. Would you mind providing a reference for your claim, please?

 

[5jj]

Then I wonder what you think about the following examples:


Ronald Carter et al., English Grammar Today
Michael Swan, Practical English Usage fourth edition, entry 257.2
Collins COBUILD English Grammar fourth edition, entry 7.26
Geoffrey Leech et al., An A-Z of English Grammar and Usage second edition, page 126
Betty S. Azar et al., Understanding and Using English Grammar fifth edition, page 260

I wonder why you asked the question in the first place when these authorities have already answered it for you.

 

[slevlife]

The point is all the above-mentioned reference works are British English based. Would you mind providing a reference for your claim, please?

It's easy to find references via Google. E.g.: https://www.unr.edu/writing-speakin...g-speaking-resources/british-american-english

To explain why a book that uses British English might use a style of punctuation more common to American English, I'd just say that many people treat this more as a stylistic choice than a rule. Authors can choose their own style.

 

[teechar]

slevlife, please add "Not a Teacher" to your signature.

 

[Tdol]

I'd put it inside, but I can't get worked up over the issue. (BrE speaker)