When do we use quotation marks?

Quotation marks are used in writing to indicate that the enclosed text is a direct quotation from another source, to indicate dialogue in a story or conversation, to highlight the title of a book, article, or other work, or to emphasize a particular word or phrase.

Quotation marks are used to enclose:

1. Direct Speech:
- To indicate the exact words spoken by a character or person.
- Example: "I'm so happy to see you," she said.

2. Titles of Short Works:
- To enclose the titles of books, articles, poems, episodes, and songs.
- Example: "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

3. Words Used in a Non-Literal Sense:
- To indicate that a word or phrase is being used ironically, sarcastically, or figuratively.
- Example: The politician gave a "heartfelt" speech.

4. Technical Terms and Definitions:
- To distinguish technical or specialized terms from ordinary language.
- Example: "In mathematics, a 'complex number' is a number that contains an imaginary component."

5. Words Mentioned as Words:
- To indicate that a word or phrase is being used as a word, not for its meaning.
- Example: "The word 'and' is a conjunction."

6. To Prevent Ambiguity or Confusion:
- To clarify the meaning of a sentence or to avoid confusion with other words.
- Example: "The 'girls' volleyball team won the championship."

7. To Emphasize or Distinguish:
- To emphasize a particular word or phrase or to distinguish it from the rest of the sentence.
- Example: "The most important thing in life is 'love'."

8. To Indicate Origin or Attribution:
- To attribute a quote or idea to its original source.
- Example: "As Shakespeare once said, 'To be or not to be, that is the question.'"