Day 175: Clarify when you are writing about words and phrases, not quoting.

In British conventions, double quotes are used for text that is exactly quoted. Single quotes (called inverted commas in British conventions) are reserved for text that is not directly quoted or for emphasizing a word or words. Consider this sentence using British conventions:

‘Hot’, ‘sexy’, and ‘foxy’ all mean the same thing: ‘attractive’.

[We removed the double quotation marks that we normally put around examples.] The use of the inverted commas lets the reader know that “hot,” “sexy,” and foxy” are all being discussed as words. The writer is not actually quoting someone.

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In American conventions, double quotes are used for everything, and the reader has to guess or figure it out from the context. Consider this sentence using American conventions:

“Hot,” “sexy,” and “foxy” all mean the same thing: “attractive.”

Is the writer quoting someone else who used these words? Or is the writer discussing the words without quoting someone? Who knows? Your guess is as good as mine.

If you are using American conventions when writing about words, emphasizing words, or discussing word meanings, let your reader know. You can clarify the American sample by writing the following:

The words “hot,” “sexy,” and “foxy” have the same meaning as the word “attractive.”

By adding “the words,” you indicate that you are writing about words. However, based on earlier tips, you can avoid this problem entirely by placing the words in italics, which is preferred for formal writing.

Hot, sexy, and foxy all mean the same thing: attractive.