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Punctuation in direct speech

We use inverted commas (also called quotation marks, quotes or speech marks) to indicate direct speech. Double quotes (") are preferred in American English, while single quotes (') are more common in British English:

" I'm coming home late tonight, " she said. (American English) ' I'm coming home late tonight, ' she said. (British English)

If we quote within direct speech, we use the other style for the embedded quotation:

"She said, ' I'm coming home late tonight ', " recalled Jim. (American English) 'She said, " I'm coming home late tonight ", ' recalled Jim. (British English)

As can be seen in the examples above, a comma ( , ) is used at the end of the quotation, before the closing speech mark.

A comma is also used before the quotation if we start the sentence with the reporting clause. In this case the terminal full stop (.) comes before the closing speech mark:

She added , "Don't expect me before 11 . "

If the quotation is a question or exclamation, the terminal marks ( ? and ! ) also come before the closing speech marks:

"Hurry up ! " he shouted. She asked, "Am I late ? "

The quotation normally begins with a capital letter, except if it is interrupted by a reporting clause, in which case the first letter of the continuation is not capitalised:

" I 'm coming home late tonight," she said and added, " d on't expect me before 11."

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Understanding Quotation Marks (Rules, When to Use, Single, Double, Examples)

What are quotation marks? Quotation marks are known as quotes, inverted commas, talking marks, and speech marks. Many students of the English language don’t have a complete understanding of where and how to use quotation marks. Moreover, it’s important to know about the different types of quotation marks to use them appropriately when writing.

In this article, we’ll discuss quotation marks and their appropriate grammatical use.

What are quotation marks?

Quotation marks highlight a word, phrase, or sentence that is in some way different from the rest of the text. It could be a quotation from someone or some book, a proverb, maxim, word meaning, name, or anything else that requires special attention from the readers.

We also use quotation marks to ironically talk about something.

Consider the following examples:

• My school canteen serves “delicious” food
• He is a “progressive” in his beliefs

In the above sentences, the words ‘delicious’ and ‘progressive’ are meant to express the opposite of what they mean. The food in the school canteen is actually terrible, and the person’s beliefs aren’t really progressive. We generally need a context to understand when quotation marks are being used ironically.

Different quotation marks are used in different contexts. Let’s learn more about the variations of quotation marks.

Double and single quotation marks

• Double quotation marks: “”
• Single quotation marks: ‘Single’

When to use double quotation marks and when to use single quotation marks? The answer depends largely on which variation of English we are talking about. Single quotes are more common in British and Australian English. On the other hand, double quotation marks are more frequent in American and Canadian English.

When writing for a publication or journal, follow the in-house guidelines on using quotation marks. Some prefer double quotations, while others go for single quotation marks.

Consistency is often more important than the type of quotation mark used. When we primarily use double quotation marks, we don’t throw in single quotation marks for a few words and phrases – and vice versa .

The first time I went to France, I had this dish called “Bœuf bourguignon”. In English, we call it ‘beef Burgundy’. [Wrong]

I was reading ‘Don Quixote’. Sorry to say, but I hardly ‘enjoyed’ it. [Correct]

When unsure about using single or double quotation marks , stick to either and use them consistently.

Quotation marks inside quotation marks

Consider the following example:

• My teacher said, “Focus on ‘verbs’, ‘adjectives’, and ‘pronouns’ for the upcoming test.”
• My teacher said, ‘Focus on “verbs”, “adjectives”, and “pronouns” for the upcoming test.’

Both the above sentences are examples of correctly using quotation marks inside quotation marks. Choose either double or single quotation marks for the main sentence within quotes. As long as the main sentence is in single quotation marks, use double quotation marks for the words and phrases within it – and vice versa.

Be consistent with the use of quotation marks within quotation marks in a piece of writing. When following the [double quotes] (single quotes) [double quotes] template, use it consistently across the writing. Don’t switch to the [single quotes] (double quotes) [single quotes] template in the middle of the writing.

Block quotes

When quoting multiple lines from a person, book, article, or report, the convention is to use block quotes instead of quotation marks. Writing styles like Harvard, APA, MLA, and Chicago APSA have specific rules on using block quotes. Typically, block quotes are indented to the right and follow a colon (:). Here’s an example of using block quotes in writing:

The world is going through a climate crisis , according to experts from around the world. According to the latest Climate Change Report, we have serious issues to tackle in the near future:

There has been a rapid growth in carbon emission rates over the last decade. If governments and industrialists from developed countries don’t take active initiatives in combatting this phenomenon, we can expect serious catastrophes by the year 2050.

By changing the alignment of the text, it becomes clear that this section of article is taken from another source, which is the Climate Change Report in this case. Block quotes are common in books, long-form articles, research papers, and even news reports.

In digital mediums, extracts from other writing/articles would often be italicized. But it’s not mandatory, especially when following the guidelines of a writing style like APA, MLA, or Harvard. Consistency is crucial for block quotes as well.

Using quotation marks as literary tools

Apart from serving as a utility in writing, quotation marks are also literary tools for writers. They are frequently used to highlight ironic remarks.

• My friend took a 2-hour masterclass on making money. Now he’s a “financial expert”.
• Apparently, what we said caused a lot of “pain” and “discomfort”.
• I saw a movie last night and thought it was really “creative”.

In the above sentences, the words and phrases inside the quotation marks express the opposite of what they mean. Irony is a figure of speech where we mean the opposite of what we say.

It’s possible to use irony without quotation marks, but highlighting the ironic words makes it easier for the reader to understand the irony.

Quotation marks also highlight puns. For the uninitiated, a pun is a play on the different possible meanings of the same word.

Here are a few examples of using quotation marks for puns:

• You should trust a person who sells glue. They generally “stick” to their words.
• Though they are both musicians, they fail to strike a “chord”.
• The days in a calendar are “numbered”.

The above three sentences play on the different meanings of the same words – stick, chord, and numbered. We can use quotation marks to highlight the wordplay and grab the readers’ attention.

However, many writers choose to not put their puns and wordplay into quotation marks for the sake of subtlety and flow.

As always, when using quotation marks to highlight puns, use single or double quotation marks consistently throughout the reference (don’t mix and match quotation marks).

Quotation marks for titles of works

We use quotation marks for titles of literary works like poems, short stories, novels, movies, documentaries, etc. There are some conventions regarding how to use quotation marks for literary works. Let’s learn more about it.

Shorter works like poems, short stories, episodes

We generally put shorter literary works inside quotation marks.

• I was reading Keats’ “Ode to a Nightingale” yesterday.
• “The Last Leaf” is an amazing short story by O Henry.
• “The Last One” is the final episode of Friends .

In both of the above examples, we have put smaller pieces of literary works inside quotation marks. “The Last Leaf” is a short story while “Ode to a Nightingale” is a poem. Since these literary works are shorter in length than a novel or movie, the convention is to put these names inside quotation marks.

Longer works like novels, movies, books, documentaries

The convention for mentioning longer literary works is to italicize them. Most modern writing guides like MLA, APA, and Harvard ask writers to italicize longer works.

Here are some examples:

• My favorite movie is Nolan’s Inception.
• Lyrical Ballads is widely considered the most significant collection of romantic poems.
• “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is a poem from the Lyrical Ballads .
• I have only read “The Fellowship of the Ring” from Lord of the Rings

Handwritten text

What will you do when you don’t have the option of italicizing the name of a book or movie? For example, how do we write the name of a longer work when writing an exam on a sheet of paper?

In these situations, here are a few things we can do:

• Underline the name of the work. For example, write “Lyrical Ballads is widely considered the most significant collection of romantic poems”.
• Underline the name and also put it inside quotation marks – “Lyrical Ballads” is widely considered the most significant collection of romantic poems.

What if we have to write about both shorter and longer literary works in a handwritten text?

In these cases, use a combination of quotation marks and underline, for example:

• “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is a poem from the Lyrical Ballads.
• ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ is a poem from the “Lyrical Ballads”.

As always, be consistent with the adopted method. When underlining the names of major works, keep underlining all the names and don’t put them inside quotation marks in some cases. When we are putting the names inside quotation marks and also underlining them, we do the same for every name in a particular text.

Since these guidelines vary from one writing style to another, the best option is to refer to the official writing guide and style that is supposed to be followed.

Punctuation and quotation marks

There’s a lot of confusion regarding how to use punctuation inside quotation marks, particularly regarding where to put the full stop.

When quoting two or more sentences, the full stops will obviously be inside quotation marks.

Here are a few examples:

“My friend is a soldier. He is now serving in Afghanistan.”

“Look! What a beautiful sight!”

The main confusion here is where to put the final full stop – inside our outside quotation marks.

In American English, the full stops are generally inside quotation marks. For example:

“I am going to study.”

“Mary was wearing a beautiful dress.”

In British English, the final full stops are always outside quotation marks.

For example:

“I am going to study”.

“Mary was wearing a beautiful dress”.

When it comes to question and exclamation marks, the position of the punctuation marks depends on the phrase inside the quotation marks.

• She asked, “Do you want to have a cup of coffee?”
• Have you seen “The Wolf of Wall Street”?
• Mary exclaimed, “This can’t be true!”
• John was surprised that she had never heard of “Once upon a Time in Hollywood”!

Remember these basic rules on punctuation marks and quotation marks to never get their usage wrong.

Straight quotes vs. curly quotes

Both straight quotes and curly (smart) quotes are correct. 

Straight quotes look like this: “straight quotes”

Curly quotes look like this: “curly quotes”

Curly/smart quotes are automatically added in all modern word processing software. It’s more of an aesthetic element than a grammatical nuance. The important thing here is to be consistent with the type of quotes used in an article. Use either curly or straight quotes throughout the article/writing.

Quotation marks while speaking

Until now, we only discussed the use of quotation marks in writing. But what about speaking — be it a casual conversation or a narration? The answer is simple.

We say one of these two things:

• Quote-unquote
• And I quote
• He is a quote-unquote hardworking person, but in reality, he exploits the vulnerabilities of other people.
• John said, and I quote, the world can only be a better place if we start helping each other.

Sometimes the speaker would say “end of quote” to signify where the quote ends, and sometimes it’s implied.

Other punctuation marks

Here are the other punctuation marks to be aware of:

The main types of quotation marks are:

• Single quotes: ‘single quotes’
• Double quotes: “double quotes”
• Straight quotes: “straight quotes”
• Curly/smart quotes: “double quotes”

Either say:

• Quote-unquote, for example, John is a quote-unquote cruel person but he has a heart of gold .
• And I quote, for example, John said, and I quote, the world is going through an unprecedented crisis right now.

When typing in a word processor, always italicize the names of books, movies, and other longer literary texts. When writing on a sheet of paper, underline the titles of longer literary works. These conventions also depend on specific citation guides like MLA, APA, and Harvard.

Th double quotes and single quotes ” ” or ‘ ‘ are used at beginning and the end of a direction quotation. For direct quotations, we would typically use double quotes. Use one of the two, according to which type of sentence you have. Although, use the same type throughout your writing.

A closing quotation mark (or final quotation mark) is identified as ”, it has a slight lean to the right side (visually).

• Quotation Marks: When to Use Single or Double Quotes | Scribendi
• Curly quotes and straight quotes: a quick guide – Writer
• Quotation marks in English – Wikipedia
• Quotation Marks “” | Writing | EnglishClub
• Quotation Marks: How To Use Them Correctly (With Examples) | Grammarly
• How to Block Quote | Length, Format and Examples (scribbr.com)
• Examples of Puns: Exploring What They Are and Different Types (yourdictionary.com)

Inside this article

Fact checked: Content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. Learn more.

About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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• Inverted Commas: Quotation Marks

Inverted Commas / Quotation Marks: Also known as speech marks or quotes, inverted commas could be a single or double mark-‘z’ or “z”. These are mainly used to mark a speaker’s speech or a quote by a famous personality. You must have seen these in newspapers , in the plays from your textbooks and in your poems. Along with simpler punctuations like simple commas , English has created a specific use for the inverted commas.

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Introduction.

As have been seen in general, the ‘single style’ inverted commas are commonly used by UK natives as opposed to Americans. Apart from that, they are also used within the “double style” inverted commas.

• He said, “That will be ‘marvelous’, we will see you at the playground.”

Let’s jot down a few use cases of the inverted commas/quotation marks with the help of a few examples because nothing explains better than a good example.

Browse more Topics Under Punctuation

• I ntroduction to Punctuation
• Capital Letters
• Exclamation Mark
• Inverted Commas / Quotation Marks
• Question Mark

Usage and Applications of Inverted Commas

1. To mark the beginning and the end of a direct speech: This is done so as the speaker’s words are expressed exactly as spoken word-by-word.

• “I will go to Delhi before I reach Manali on a bike”, Pinky said.
• “You too, Brutus?!”, exclaimed Caeser in disbelief.
• “Come home directly after school without wasting any time.”, said Sanam’s mom to her.

Now, if you ask us if single inverted commas could have been used in the place of the double inverted commas, the answer is yes. In UK English, single inverted commas are more commonly used than double inverted commas. Whichever you chose, just remember to stick to one style throughout a piece of writing to maintain consistency and not break the writing style flow.

2. To mark a certain word or a phrase that’s being quoted from another place or person. We also use the inverted commas to mark a significant word or phrase in a sentence .

• We call this phenomenon “the water-cycle”. 
• One of Michael Jackson’s hit songs is called “Billy Jean.”

3. When a case like the above two appears between a direct speech, we use the single inverted commas. So let’s say we are quoting a direct speech and have to stress a phrase within that quote, we will put the direct speech in double inverted commas and stress the phrase with single style inverted commas.

Sometimes there’s a quote within a quote. Yes, it does sound tricky but you will definitely come across situations when you are quoting what someone else quoted for someone or something. Even in that case, remember to use the hierarchy of quotes from double to single. Let’s see a few examples to understand this better:

• Professor May said, “We all are beginners in literature but regardless of how learned we are, we all have heard “What is in the name?” from Shakespeare.
• Martha joked, “President Trump literally uses the word “bigly” with an absolute confidence of it being an actual word.”
• My teacher narrated the plot of Harry Potter: “Dumbledore was the best school headmaster. He once said,’Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it’ and history shows that he meant it.”

Remember that we shouldn’t overdo the inverted commas so much that it irritates the reader and we should only use it wisely where necessary. Now that you have some idea about inverted commas, how about you listen to a few sentences from your friends and try to write them down as direct speech using inverted commas? Could be a fun activity if you mix it up like a game!

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Using Quotation Marks

The rules for using quotation marks.

Table of Contents

Four Ways to Use Quotation Marks

Using quotation marks explained in detail, (1) using quotation marks for previously spoken or written words, (2) using quotation marks for the names of ships, books, and plays, (3) using quotation marks to signify so-called or alleged, (4) using quotation marks to show a word refers to the word itself, why quotation marks are important.

(1) To identify previously spoken or written words.

(2) To highlight the name of things like ships, books, and plays.

(3) To signify so-called or alleged.

(4) To show that a word refers to the word itself not the word's meaning.

(Issue 1) Being inconsistent with single or double quotation marks.

(Issue 2) Using quotation marks with reported speech

(issue 3) being unsure whether to use a comma or a colon before a quotation..

(Rule 1) Use a colon if the introduction is an independent clause.

• New York gang members all advise the following: "Don't run from fat cops. They shoot earlier."

(Rule 2) You can use a colon if the quotation is a complete sentence.

• The orders state: "In case of fire, exit the building before tweeting about it."

(Rule 3) Use a comma if the introduction is not an independent clause.

• Before each shot, the keeper said aloud, "bum, belly, beak, bang."
• Peering over his glasses, he said, "Never test the depth of a river with both feet."

(Rule 4) You can only use a comma after a quotation.

• "Always give 100%, unless you're donating blood", he would always say.

(Rule 5) Don't use any punctuation if the quotation is not introduced.

• I believe there really is, "no place like home."
• I would hate to see the worst if this is the, "best skiing resort in France".

(Issue 4) Being unsure whether to place punctuation inside or outside the quotation.

(Issue 5) Using quotation marks for emphasis.

• Nest single quotation marks within doubles.
• The instructions say: "Shout 'Yahtzee' loudly."
• Don't put reported speech in quotation marks.

Two Points about Editing Quotations

This page was written by Craig Shrives .

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Style Manual

Secondary navigation, quotation marks.

Quotation marks draw attention to words and reference certain kinds of titles. Write most direct speech in single quote marks. For long quotes, use block quotes without quotation marks.

Quote direct speech in single quote marks

Single quotation marks are also known as ‘quote marks’, ‘quotes’, ‘speech marks’ or ‘inverted commas’.

Use them to:

• show direct speech and the quoted work of other writers
• enclose the title of certain works
• draw attention to a word you’re defining.

Double quotation marks aren’t Australian Government style. Use them only for quotations within quotations.

Short quotations of direct speech are enclosed in single quotation marks.

• ‘ Yes, that’s all that happened, ’ she replied.
• The opposition leader asked, ‘ But where’s the money going to come from? ’

Don’t use quotation marks for long quotations. Instead, use block quotes.

Quotes within quotes

For quotations within quotations, use double quotation marks inside single ones.

He also wrote, ‘ The decisions of the department for “ major procurement ” were always political choices. ’

Omissions in direct speech

When quoting direct speech, take great care to be accurate. Writers and publishers have been sued for inaccurate quotations attributed as direct speech.

If you use ellipses for omitted words, ensure that the omission won’t mislead readers about the content or tone of the source you’re quoting.

• He said, ‘ I don’t agree with the proposal because we need to do more research. ’
• He said, ‘ I don’t agree with the proposal … ’
• He said, ‘ I don’t agree with the proposal. ’
• He said, ‘ I … agree with the proposal. ’

If the quotation needs the information for context, add specific detail in  square brackets . You must be sure that the specific detail is correct and that it retains the meaning intended by the original speaker.

‘ The [ Queensland ] government agrees. ’

If you paraphrase omitted material, place the paraphrasing in square brackets.

‘ They all listened to [ the new manager’s ] speech. ’

Errors in quoted material

Quoted material sometimes contains a spelling or grammatical error. 

To show the error is in the original, insert an italicised ‘ sic ’ in non-italicised square brackets after the error. This shows the reader that the error comes from the original.

The email read, ‘ At the time, the population of Sydney was much higher than Melberne [ sic ] . ’

Non-Australian English quotes

In quoted material use the original spelling of the quoted material, even if it uses US spellings such as ‘color’. The capitalisation of words must also be the same as in the original.

If the US material uses the US conventions for quotation marks, you can update them to the Australian convention.

Australian style

The President said, ‘ The Prime Minister told me “ No ” , so I’m working on an updated plan. ’

The President said, “ The Prime Minister told me ‘ No, ’ so I’m working on an updated plan. ”

Format long quotes as block quotes with no quotation marks

Quotations that are longer than about 30 words are:

• usually indented from the text margin
• sometimes set in a smaller font size or a different font.

When they are set like this, they are called   ‘block quotations’.

Don’t use quotation marks to identify the quoted material – the formatting does that instead. Block quotes should also be coded with the HTML <blockquote> element.

As Templeton (2019) writes:

According to the ACT Auditor-General, the transport benefits from the project are projected to be lower than the costs. She noted other benefits that had been included by the ACT Government to justify the project.

To include several paragraphs of quoted speech without the attribution tag, such as in a media release, use a quotation mark:

• at the beginning of each paragraph
• at the end of the last paragraph only.
• Dr Nicoll said, ‘ My experience as a public servant helped me learn how to run workshops. 
• ‘ My experience also helps me make my workshops practical. ’

Write speech in transcripts and plays with no quotation marks

Quotation marks are unnecessary in transcripts and plays if the name of the speaker comes before the direct speech.

• Senator MARCELLUS: Look at the latest report. These results aren’t great.
• Dr BERNARDO: I’ve seen this happen before. It looks like we might be over budget.

The same applies for questions and answers (Q&As).

Q. Have you ever been convicted of an offence, other than a parking or speeding offence?

Refer to certain kinds of titles using quotation marks

When referring to these titles, use quotation marks in references and citations :

• a chapter in a book or report
• an article in a periodical

Read the chapter titled ‘ Number and natural language ’ in The innate mind: structure and contents. It describes how people learn to recognise numbers.

Draw attention to words using quotation marks

You can use quotation marks instead of italics to make words stand out from your sentence. Examples include:

• a technical term on its first mention in a non-technical document
• a word or phrase that has been coined or that you’re using in a specific sense
• colloquial words, nicknames, slang, or ironic or humorous words and phrases, in formal writing.

You don’t usually need to repeat the quotation marks the next time you use the word. They might be useful if the next mention is a long way from the first.

Another use of quotation marks is for words introduced by expressions such as ‘titled’, ‘marked’, ‘the term’ and ‘defined as’.

• The papers were marked ‘ Five Eyes only ’ .
• Can anyone here define ‘ entropion ’ ?
• The survey used the term ‘ companion animal ’ to describe assistance dogs in workplaces.
• He said the new policy was ‘ obviously a great success ’ and then explained its many failings.

Keep quoted punctuation marks in the quote

Punctuation in and after quotation marks depends on the punctuation of the quoted text and how it is used in the content.

If the punctuation mark is part of the quoted text, place the punctuation mark before the closing quotation mark.

• ‘ Is it okay to ask a colleague out for a coffee? ’ I asked the HR section.
• He asked, ‘ Has it arrived? ’

The same rule applies for directly quoted speech followed by the attribution.

• ‘ It has arrived, ’ said the manager.
• ‘ Has it arrived? ’ asked the manager.

If the punctuation mark is part of the sentence outside the quoted text, it follows the closing quotation mark.

• She said that it was ‘ time to start work ’ .
• Many things have been called ‘ the new black ’ , but they usually fade to grey.
• Did the complainant at any time ask you to ‘ Please turn down the noise ’ ?

Quoted material can appear as parenthetical information, enclosed in  parentheses,   dashes or commas . In these cases, place the quotation marks inside the sentence punctuation.

• His stirring speech ( ‘ We shall never surrender ’ ) galvanised the UK and its allies.
• His stirring speech – ‘ We shall never surrender ’ – galvanised the UK and its allies.
• His stirring speech, ‘ We shall never surrender ’ , galvanised the UK and its allies.

If the quotation ends a sentence or is a sentence in its own right, place the final full stop before the final quotation mark.

• She said, ‘ It’s time to start work .’
• ‘ When we get the final figures,’ the manager said, ‘ we’ll know how it will affect our bottom line .’
• ‘ I have the final figures,’ the manager said. ‘ This will ruin our bottom line .’

Sometimes, there are 2 punctuation marks – one for the quotation and one for the sentence. Decide which is stronger and use it. Don’t use both punctuation marks.

• The Speaker called ‘Order ! ’
• Did you hear him say, ‘That’s unlikely’ ?
• The Speaker called ‘Order ! ’ .
• Did you hear him say, ‘That’s unlikely . ’ ?

The surrounding text determines the font (roman, italic, or bold) of the quotation marks. If the content inside the quotation marks is in italics, but the sentence is in roman, use roman for the quotation marks.

• She described it as ‘ weird ’ . [The quotation marks are in roman even though ‘weird’ is in italics.]
• ‘ Wow, ’ he said. [Both the quote marks and the quote are in roman type.]

Release notes

The digital edition revises advice about punctuation used with quotation marks. It departs from advice in the sixth edition about the position of punctuation and quotation marks in sentences interrupted by expressions, such as ‘they said’.

The sixth edition recommended the comma be placed outside the quotation mark, before the expression . The digital edition recommends the comma be placed inside the quotation mark: the quotation mark comes directly before the expression .

The Content Guide had advice on the use of single and double quotation marks, with which the digital edition is consistent.

About this page

Oxford University Press (2016) ‘9.2 Layout of quoted text’, New Oxford style manual , Oxford University Press, Oxford.

University of Chicago (2017) ‘6.40 Commas with quotations’, Chicago manual of style, 17th edn, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Dixon JC and Bolitho B (2005–2019) Course notes and exercises: editing and proofreading for the workplace , Centre for Continuing Education, Australian National University, Canberra.

Houston K (2015) The long and fascinating history of quotation marks ’, Slate , accessed 20 February 2020 .

Microsoft Corporation (2019) Keyboard shortcuts in Word: insert international characters , Microsoft website, accessed 1 December 2019.

Mozilla (n.d.) ‘< blockquote>: The Block Quotation element ’,   HTML elements , MDN Web Docs website, accessed 3 December 2020.

Murphy EM and Cadman H (2014) Effective writing: plain English at work , 2nd edn, Lacuna, 2014.

Owen M (2018) How to type accented letters in macOS three different ways , appleinsider website, accessed 4 December 2019.

Oxford University Press (2016) ‘Quotations and direct speech’, New Oxford style manual , Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Seely J (2001) Oxford everyday grammar , Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Stilman S (2004) Grammatically correct , Writer’s Digest Books, Ohio.

Truss L (2003) Eats, shoots and leaves: the zero tolerance approach to punctuation , Profile Books, London, 2003.

The Unicode Consortium (2019) Unicode , Unicode website, accessed 2 December 2019.

University of Chicago (2017) ‘6.115: “Smart” quotation marks’, Chicago manual of style, 17th edn, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

World Wide Web Consortium (W3C (n.d.) ‘ HTML <blockquote> tag ’, W3CSchools website, accessed 3 December 2020.

Whitbread D (2009) Design manual, 2nd edn, UNSW Press, Sydney, Australia.

Last updated

This page was updated Monday 24 October 2022.

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How to Use Quotation Marks Correctly—An Introduction

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Quotation marks—sometimes called ‘speech marks’, or more colloquially ‘quotes’—are used to indicate direct speech. Depending on where you are, the quotation mark may be different.

Australia and the United Kingdom use single quotation marks: ‘ ’

North America uses double quotation marks: “ ”

In this article, we will reference to Snooks & Co.’s Style Manual: For Authors, Editors and Printers (2002, hereafter, Style Manual )—the authority on style matters in Australia. They recommend the use of single quotation marks (p. 112). We will illustrate how to use quotation marks for direct speech and how to punctuate quotations within quotations. We’ll also explain some other uses for quotation marks.

In our next article, ‘How to Use Quotation Marks Correctly—Quotation Marks with Other Punctuation’, we will explain how to deal with conflicting punctuation marks—especially when ending a sentence.

Quotation Marks and Direct Speech

Quotation marks are used to enclose direct speech, or a direct quotation, that is less than 30 words long. Here are some examples:

The teacher asked, ‘Could you please hand in your books?’

‘It is a sad day for humanity’, the reporter typed.

According to the Style Manual , ‘quotation marks … enclose direct quotations, whether they are sentence fragments, a sentence, or more than one sentence’ (p. 113).

Longer quotations are formatted into block quotations and are indented from the main text—they do not take quotation marks. They are introduced with a colon, not a comma.

Quotations within Quotations

The only time double quotation marks are used in British and Australia English is when quotations appear within quotations. Used in this way, the double quotation marks are important for avoiding ambiguity. See the example below:

The man stood and said, ‘It is important for me to clarify something. I said “it will be alright”, and I meant it.’

Other Uses of Quotation Marks

According to the Style Manual , use quotation marks when ‘referring to the title of an unpublished document, a chapter in a published work, an article in a periodical, an essay, a lecture, a short poem or a song’ (p. 113).

Quotation marks can also be used to introduce a technical term that needs to be defined. In this case, you would only enclose it in quotation marks for its first mention:

The term ‘apostrophe’ refers to a mark of punctuation that is used to signify ownership or that two words have been contracted into one.

Sometimes quotation marks are used to enclose slang, colloquial words or in more formal writing:

Snapchat is a social media application (or ‘app’) that allows users to send ‘snaps’ (i.e., photographs) to other users with a timed-view mechanism.

They call him Anthony ‘The Man’ Mundine.

Quotations can also create ironic emphasis in a piece of writing. In the following example, read the word in quotation marks with a sarcastic tone:

The ‘teacher’ said to open our books; she didn’t look a day over 18.

In that example, the quotation marks indicate that the speaker doesn’t believe the teacher could be old enough to be a teacher.

To learn more about how quotation marks are used in conjunction with other sentence punctuation, read our next article, How to Use Quotation Marks Correctly - Quotation Marks with Other Punctuation’ . Also, we have coverved commonly confused words such as What is the difference between Practice and Practise ?, When to Use a Semicolon ?, What is the difference between Its and It’s ?, alternate and alternative , their, they’re and there ; lay and lie ; affect and effect ; and advice and advise . Just let us know what would you like us to dive into next?

Style Manual: For Authors, Editors and Printers. 2002. 6th ed. Revised by Snooks & Co. Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons.

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• January 13, 2019

A parent’s guide to punctuation: speech marks and paragraphs

If you’re currently wondering how to help your child with speech punctuation and paragraphs, you’re not alone! Take a look at our short guides below to see what each term means and how they work.

Speech marks

In written text, when someone says something and we’re replicating exactly what they say (direct speech), we use speech marks. These are also known as inverted commas or quotation marks. This punctuation shows us which bit of text was spoken and which wasn’t.

“I’m hungry!” said Omar.

In this example, the spoken words are “I’m hungry!”, and are therefore shown with speech marks. The punctuation that goes with that statement also goes inside the speech marks.

“What’s that?” asked Jen. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s a UFO!” suggested Fred. The reporting clause (‘said Omar’, ‘asked Jen’, ‘suggested Fred’) shows us who spoke the words. This can come at the start of the line, the end, or we can break the speech up and put it in the middle.

Meg asked, “What’s for dinner?” “Oh dear,” sighed Mum. “I knew I’d forgotten something!” Notice that when the reporting clause comes at the beginning or in the middle of the line, it’s separated by a comma. When there’s a new speaker, the speech starts on a new line.

Speech is always started with a capital letter, even when it comes after the reporting clause (see example 4). Indirect speech is used when we tell someone the gist of what was said, without writing out the comment in full.

Jonathan said he was excited.

With indirect speech, no speech punctuation is required.

Paragraphs are used to organise writing. A paragraph is a group of one or more sentences that are separated from other groups of text with a line between them and/or an indent to the left.

Paragraphs are used in fiction and non-fiction. In fiction writing, a new paragraph is needed when we change the person, place, time or topic. In non-fiction, paragraphs are usually split by topics.

In school, children often use story maps or story mountains to help them plan their work. These help them to organise the structure of their writing — and introduce them to how paragraphs work.

You can also use this technique at home. For example, at the start of the map or mountain, children can set the scene (the introduction). They’ll then proceed to build suspense until the action happens. Finally, they’ll resolve the issue the character faced.

Working in this way helps children to identify what the main topic sentences for each paragraph will be (a sentence that lets us know what that paragraph is about).

Explore punctuation with DoodleEnglish

And there we have it — the ultimate parents’ guide to speech punctuations and paragraphs! If you found these tips helpful, be sure to check out our parents’ guide to phonics .

Or, for a fun journey through grammar, reading, writing and spelling, download the DoodleEnglish app to discover a world of interactive exercises, educational games and virtual rewards!

Or discover Doodle for schools

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Grammar, Plain and Simple

English grammar explained in plain language simple enough to be understood.

153. Using Commas With Quotations and Speech Tags

In a sentence where someone is speaking, we use a comma to separate the quote from the speech tag.

Quotation marks ( ” ” )go before and after words that are spoken or quoted. A speech tag is the phrase that names the speaker.

Look at this sentence example: “It is raining today,” said Bob.

In this sentence, the actual spoken words are placed between two sets of quotation marks: “ It is raining today “ Said Bob is the speech tag. The speech tag tells us Bob actually said the words. Notice that the comma sits inside the quotation.

When a sentence begins with a quote, the comma is inside the quotation marks. When a speech tag comes first, the comma immediately follows the speech tag and sits before the quotation marks. Bob said, “It is raining today.”

Here are more sentence examples. Pay close attention to where the comma sits in each sentence. “Don’t bother me,” my little brother yelled. Mom said, “Stop arguing right now.” “Be quiet,” Dad interjected, “or I’ll send you to your room.”

Here are the rules for using a comma with a quotation:

When a sentence begins with a quote, put the comma at the end of a quote, inside the quotation marks. When a sentence begins with a speech tag, put the comma after the speech tag and before the quotation marks. When the speech tag is in the middle of a sentence, the first comma goes after the first quote, inside the quotation marks, and the second comma goes after the speech tag, before the second set of quote marks.

• It’s your turn. Where would you put a comma in this sentence? “I hear you” Dad said. I hope you placed your comma after the word you – inside the quotation marks. If you did, good for you!

When do you use quotation marks (‘ ’) or (“ ”) in English? - Easy Learning Grammar

Direct speech.

• to draw attention to a word
• to indicate an unusual use of a word
• to suggest that the writer want to be distanced from a word.

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How to Use Quotation Marks

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Using Quotation Marks

The primary function of quotation marks is to set off and represent exact language (either spoken or written) that has come from somebody else. The quotation mark is also used to designate speech acts in fiction and sometimes poetry. Since you will most often use them when working with outside sources, successful use of quotation marks is a practical defense against accidental plagiarism and an excellent practice in academic honesty. The following rules of quotation mark use are the standard in the United States, although it may be of interest that usage rules for this punctuation do vary in other countries.

The following covers the basic use of quotation marks. For details and exceptions consult the separate sections of this guide.

Direct Quotations

Direct quotations involve incorporating another person's exact words into your own writing.

• Quotation marks always come in pairs. Do not open a quotation and fail to close it at the end of the quoted material.

Mr. Johnson, who was working in his field that morning, said, "The alien spaceship appeared right before my own two eyes."

Although Mr. Johnson has seen odd happenings on the farm, he stated that the spaceship "certainly takes the cake" when it comes to unexplainable activity.

"I didn't see an actual alien being," Mr. Johnson said, "but I sure wish I had."

When quoting text with a spelling or grammar error, you should transcribe the error exactly in your own text. However, also insert the term sic in italics directly after the mistake, and enclose it in brackets. Sic is from the Latin, and translates to "thus," "so," or "just as that." The word tells the reader that your quote is an exact reproduction of what you found, and the error is not your own.

Mr. Johnson says of the experience, "It's made me reconsider the existence of extraterestials [ sic ]."

• Quotations are most effective if you use them sparingly and keep them relatively short. Too many quotations in a research paper will get you accused of not producing original thought or material (they may also bore a reader who wants to know primarily what YOU have to say on the subject).

Indirect Quotations

Indirect quotations are not exact wordings but rather rephrasings or summaries of another person's words. In this case, it is not necessary to use quotation marks. However, indirect quotations still require proper citations, and you will be committing plagiarism if you fail to do so.

Many writers struggle with when to use direct quotations versus indirect quotations. Use the following tips to guide you in your choice.

Use direct quotations when the source material uses language that is particularly striking or notable. Do not rob such language of its power by altering it.

The above should never stand in for:

Use an indirect quotation (or paraphrase) when you merely need to summarize key incidents or details of the text.

Use direct quotations when the author you are quoting has coined a term unique to her or his research and relevant within your own paper.

When to use direct quotes versus indirect quotes is ultimately a choice you'll learn a feeling for with experience. However, always try to have a sense for why you've chosen your quote. In other words, never put quotes in your paper simply because your teacher says, "You must use quotes."

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• Punctuation /

Speech Mark Examples for Grade 1, 2, & 3 in English [with Worksheet PDF]

• Updated on  
• Apr 27, 2024

Speech mark examples or you can say examples of quotation marks are quite helpful when it comes to mastering the trickiness of punctuation without cramming its definition and usage rules. But once you learn what speech marks are with the help of instances; you can easily quote anyone’s speech, famous saying, or universal truths word to word in writing. So, without further ado, let’s explore this blog about speech mark punctuation for kids through examples and practice exercises. 

[powerkit_toc title=”This Blog Includes:”]

Know all about Punctuation  

Speech Mark Examples for Grade 1

To comprehend speech marks, think of them as tiny bubbles around what someone says. They show you the exact words spoken by a character in a sentence. But instead of a bubble, it follows a double inverted comma (“ ”) symbol to highlight the exact words of a speaker in written form. Take a look at the following examples of Speech marks for reference: 

• Simple Sentence: He Said, “I do not like her.”
• Questions: “Do you not like her?” asked the girl.

Here are some more examples you can go through and analyse the use of punctuation for class 1 kids.

Also Read: Punctuation for Class 1

Speech Mark Examples for Grade 2

As a kid progresses to Grade 2, they can explore more complex sentences and dialogues to master the usage of speech marks like the one mentioned below:

Also Read: Punctuation for Class 2

Speech Mark Examples for Grade 3 

You must note that the functioning of quotation marks remains the same regardless of the grade level. The only challenge you will face will be the complexity of sentences. So, going through the more challenging examples will further enhance your understanding of speech marks: 

Also Read: Punctuation for Class 3

Speech Mark Worksheet with Answer PDF

Speech marks, also sometimes called quotation marks, are punctuation symbols used in writing to show the exact words spoken by a character or person in a sentence. They act like little quotation bubbles, enclosing the specific dialogue being spoken. For example, “Hello,” she greeted me warmly. 

Here’s how to put words in speech marks also called quotation marks: 1. Identify the spoken words. 2. Before the spoken words, insert the opening quotation marks.   3. Place all the spoken words within the quotation marks. This includes questions, exclamations, and even internal monologues. 4. After the spoken words, add the closing quotation mark (” or ”).

The example sentences for speech marks are “Ouch!” he cried, grabbing his foot. “Are you sure?”

Find more Punctuational Reads Below!

This was all about the speech mark examples and related information. Hope you understand the concept and know how to proceed. You can also follow the page of Learn English on Leverage Edu website for more exciting and informative blogs.

Harshita is a creative writer cum literature enthusiast in pursuit to extend her learnings of overseas and Indian education sectors to the masses, through her well-curated articles. You may also find her emerging in prose writing or reading Toni Morrison when not writing stuff related to education.

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Rapper Toomaj Salehi’s Death Sentence Marks New Low in Iran’s Crackdown on Dissent

April 24, 2024 – A death sentence issued in Iran against dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi underscores the glaring unlawfulness and injustice of the Islamic Republic’s judicial system, which has been weaponized and used as a tool by the state security forces to crush dissent and perpetuate political repression, said the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI).

“Not only was Toomaj imprisoned for participating in a peaceful protest, but now a lower court, acting as a willful instrument of the state’s security apparatus, has unlawfully sentenced him to death, disregarding the supreme court’s decision to overturn the initial verdict of a prison sentence,” said CHRI Executive Director Hadi Ghaemi.

“This grotesque manipulation of the judicial process aims to silence dissent,” Ghaemi continued. “Toomaj’s imprisonment stems from his vocal advocacy against state oppression. It is imperative that supporters of free speech and dissent unite to demand his immediate release.”

In an interview with the Shargh daily in Iran, on April 24, 2024, one of Toomaj’s lawyers, Amir Raesian, noted that in sentencing Toomaj to death on the charge of “corruption of earth,” Branch 1 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Isfahan “in an unprecedented action, did not comply with the Supreme Court’s overturning of Toomaj Salehi’s [prison sentence on the charge of ‘corruption on earth’], calling it a ‘guidance,’ and instead, emphasizing the independence of the lower court, sentenced Toomaj Salehi to the harshest punishment, i.e. death, on the charge of corruption on earth.”

Raesian added that the court, after considering the charges of aiding in rebellion, assembly and collusion [against national security], propaganda against the state, and inciting riots, the subjects of Articles and 286 of the Islamic Penal Code, “emphasized that the wide extent of corruption had been ascertained and issued the death sentence against Mr. Salehi” but that previously “this court branch did not conclude that acts of corruption on earth had taken place.”

“But the strangest thing is that in addition to the death penalty, the court sentenced Toomaj Salehi to a two-year ban on leaving the country, two-year ban on artistic activities and participation in behavior management classes in the Isfahan judiciary,” he added. “The court also enforced an earlier suspended sentence against Toomaj Salehi.”

“We will definitely lodge an appeal,” said Raesian.

Imprisoned for Engaging in Dissent, Facing Death for Refusing to be Silent

In his first trial, Salehi was sentenced to 18 years and 3 months of  imprisonment for the charge of “corruption on earth,” for which he would have to serve more than 6 years and 3 months.

In an interview with CHRI, Saeid Dehghan, a human rights lawyer who spent years defending dissidents and political prisoners in Iran and the director and founder of Parsi Law , explained how the ruling has violated fundamental principles of the Islamic Republic’s own judicial system.

“Firstly, the revolutionary court was obliged to adhere to the decisions of the Supreme Court and couldn’t issue a death sentence. Secondly, it couldn’t add two more supplementary punishments instead of reducing the charges from 6 to 3. Thirdly, it couldn’t bring all other accusations, including propaganda, assembly, and collusion, under the guise of corruption on earth,” he said.

“The reason for issuing this verdict, violating all these fundamental laws, is simply because the head of the first branch of the Isfahan Revolutionary Court is also the chief of the Isfahan Provincial Revolutionary Court and takes orders from senior security authorities, especially the Revolutionary Guards,” added Dehghan.

“In other words, the same organization that orchestrated the security scenario against this young rapper is the one dictating the sentence,” he said.

Salehi, aged 34, is known in Iran for his courageous stance as an underground rapper who fearlessly confronts human rights violations and political repression in the Islamic Republic through his music.

Hailing from Shahin Shahr in Isfahan Province, Salehi has spent the majority of the past 19 months behind bars. His ordeal began with his arrest in October 2022 by agents of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence organization for participating in widespread anti-state protests known as the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement.

In July 2023, Salehi was handed a sentence of 18 years and 3 months in prison on charges of “corruption on earth.” This charge, often used to stifle dissent, carries severe penalties, including the death penalty. Salehi’s supposed “crimes” were tied to the content of his lyrics, which scrutinized state policies, including ethnic discrimination and insufficient legal protections for child laborers, as well as his involvement in a street protest.

Granted bail on November 18, 2023, while his case was referred to a lower court in Isfahan, Salehi’s freedom was short-lived. Less than two weeks later, on November 30, he was rearrested by plainclothes agents armed with “Kalashnikovs and handguns” after publicly disclosing the torture he endured while in state custody.

“Despite blatant legal violations, Toomaj’s life hangs in the balance,” Ghaemi said.

“The world’s silence in response to this blatant effort to silence dissent against Toomaj and anyone daring to challenge the Islamic Republic will only embolden further rights abuses by the state security apparatus,” he said.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Iran Human Rights (@centerforhumanrights)

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Fighting 'intensifies in eastern Ukraine as troops fall back'; UK estimates 450,000 Russian losses since war began

Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi says his troops have taken up new positions west of Berdychi, Semenivka and Novomykhailivka in order to conserve their forces while armed forces minister Leo Docherty tells the UK Defence Journal tens of thousands have deserted Russian's military since February 2022.

Sunday 28 April 2024 22:34, UK

• Fighting intensifies in eastern Ukraine as troops fall back
• UK minister estimates 450,000 Russian losses since war began
• Tajikistan citizens warned not to travel to Russia
• 'Well-provisioned' Ukrainian troops could prevent Russian advances
• Russia destroys 17 drones launched by Ukraine
• Explained : Why is Chasiv Yar the next target for Russia?
• Your questions answered: Will Ukraine launch another spring offensive?
• Listen to the Sky News Daily above and  tap here  to follow wherever you get your podcasts

That's all from our live coverage for tonight. For a reminder of today's updates, you can scroll back through this live blog. 

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is still waiting for promised supplies from its allies, urging the international community to hurry up. 

In his nightly video address today, he said: "We are expecting those volumes and scope that can change the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine's interests." 

He also said he had spoken with US House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, and had thanked Congress for passing the long-awaited aid package for Ukraine. 

"In my conversation with Mr Jeffries, I underscored that Patriot systems are needed, and as soon as possible," he said. 

Ukrainian forces are facing a worsening position in the east and are still awaiting the delivery of US weapons. 

Mr Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for more air defence systems to protect its citizens and infrastructure, particularly the Patriot systems. 

Russia will start restricting those called up for military service from leaving the country, according to news site Meduza. 

Electronic summonses will reportedly be sent out from 1 November.

Those who are called up will not be allowed to leave Russia, and they will face further restrictions if they do not go to a military registration and enlistment office within 20 days.

In that case, they will not be allowed to register to run a business, drive a car, take out loans, or conduct real estate transactions, Meduza said.

New satellite imagery appears to show damage at Russia's Kushchyovskaya military airbase in the Krasnodar region. 

Planet Labs shared images comparing how the base looked on 19 March compared with today. 

A source in Ukraine's security and defence forces earlier told Ukrainian media that Kyiv had launched drone strikes against the airbase and two oil refineries overnight. 

They told the Kyiv Independent the SBU and Ukraine's Defence Forces hit the airbase where "dozens of military aircraft, radars, and electronic warfare devices were stationed".

Earlier we brought you news of a Russian drone strike on the Black Sea city of Mykolaiv. 

The attack set a hotel ablaze and damaged energy infrastructure, Ukrainian officials said. 

Vitaliy Kim, the governor of the southern Mykolaiv region, said in an update the attack had "seriously damaged" the hotel.

The strike also damaged heat-generating infrastructure in the city.

There were no casualties, he said. 

A priest sprinkles holy water on believers holding willow branches during an Orthodox Palm Sunday service. 

The service is being held in Donetsk, in an area occupied by Russian forces. 

Russia gained full control of the city of Donetsk in October 2022, but the area has been a major site of fighting since 2014. 

The majority of people in Ukraine are Orthodox Christian, although they follow different branches. 

As we've been reporting, Russia has been pushing forward in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region. 

Ukrainian military officials say their troops are falling back to new positions in at least three places along the frontlines. 

But they are facing public criticism about the transparency of their military updates. 

Ukrainian military blogger Myroshnykov and Ukraine's DeepState monitoring group, which updates daily changes in frontline positions, both say the updates have been unrealistic. 

DeepState shared a video on social media of a Russian soldier being killed in a drone strike in the village of Soloviove, arguing such footage was being used to mask a bigger picture. 

"You can watch with pleasure forever the video of a Russian [soldier] being torn to pieces, but nearby there is another location that requires attention: Muscovites calmly moving around the village, keeping it under control. 

"The [Ukrainian] Defence Forces inflict fire damage on them, and one can repeat at least a billion times that two-thirds of the village is under the control of the Ukrainian military, but the picture of reality is completely different." 

It appeared to be referring to a statement from Nazar Voloshyn, a spokesperson for Ukraine's military in the east, who also said the nearby village of Ocheretyne was still two-thirds controlled by Ukraine. 

However, DeepState says it believes Russian troops have been in control of the centre of Ocheretyne for at least three days. 

The site accused some military spokespersons of incompetence last week. 

Police have arrested a 57-year-old Russian on suspicion of murder following the killings yesterday evening, German news agency dpa reported. 

The two Ukrainians were 23 and 36 years old, and lived in the southern German county of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

They were killed at a shopping centre in the village of Murnau in Upper Bavaria.

The names of the victims and suspect have not been released due to German privacy rules. 

It is not clear if the men knew each other. 

More than one million Ukrainian refugees fled to Germany following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 

Donald Trump's stance on Ukraine is "not as black and white as some people think", the Polish foreign minister has said. 

The former US president, who is running for election again this year, has said he will not commit to providing Ukraine with defence assistance. 

Republicans aligned with Mr Trump were also the reason behind a six-month delay to aid for Ukraine. 

But foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski said in an interview with the Axel Springer media company that Mr Trump had sent Ukraine anti-tank missiles before Russia's invasion "when others were not doing it". 

He was referring to Javelin anti-tank missiles supplied by the US in 2018. 

Mr Sikorski also said Mr Trump was "right in urging us all in Europe to spend more on defence".

He said he "did not hear any protests from Trump" once the $61bn aid package for Ukraine was approved. 

"So, I hope that candidate Trump has seen that this opposition to helping Ukraine is not actually popular in the United States, that it is harming his chances [to be re-elected]," he added.

Earlier we reported that a top Ukrainian general said troops had fallen back from three villages in the east of the country. 

We can now bring you more from Oleksandr Syrskyi, the chief of Ukraine's armed forces, about the situation on the ground.

Mr Syrskyi said the Donetsk region (in the east) remains one of the hottest sectors of the frontline as Russia continues its offensive.

He described the situation in the eastern cities of Pokrovsk and Kurakhove as "the most difficult one" now.

Russia is reportedly using up to four brigades (anywhere from an estimated 8,000 to 32,000 personnel) to conduct assault operations in the direction of both the cities, which lie west of Avdiivka, which was captured earlier this year. 

Mr Syrskyi said the situation is changing "dynamically" on the frontline as a result. 

Meanwhile, Mr Syrskyi said the situation in the south also remains "intense" as Russia tries to advance near the village of Krynky in Kherson.

It also wants to advance towards the villages of Robotyne and Verbove villages in Zaporizhzhia.

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